Political Corruption as a Driver for Organized Crime's Formation

This assignment explores the critical relationship between political corruption and the formation and growth of organized crime. It highlights how political parties and corrupt officials utilize organized crime for their benefit, citing examples such as the mafia's influence in Western Sicily and Southern Calabria, and the Camorra's political dominance. The assignment details how legitimate political activities enable criminal networks to operate and conceal their illegal activities, including money laundering and the use of technology to hide illicit practices. The provided answers and references offer insights into how organized crime leverages political influence and exploits weaknesses within governmental structures to expand their operations. The assignment references several academic sources to support the arguments presented.

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History of Organized Crimes

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Answer 1
One of the key ‘drivers’ that leads to the formation of organized crime is political
corruption because political parties use organized crimes to fulfill their ill intentions. In
many cases, the power of organized parties is highly effective and legitimate because they
acquire them from the state through their political influence, for example, in Western Sicily
and Southern Calabria mafia associations were able to successfully police the general
population through their political influence (Galeotti, 2004). Moreover, the mafia and the
Italian state have shared power in parts of Calabria and Sicily based on which the actions of
mafia members were legalized by the government representatives. Another good example
is growing percentage of income of Cosa Nostra and Ndrangheta families in 1990s that
depend on the regional political domain through corrupt politicians for systematic extortion
in their community to grow their operations (Paoli, 2004). The Camorra which consists of
independent criminal groups and gangs is another good example that exercises political
dominion over the area and enjoyed protection from local government institutions.
Answer 2
Legitimate political activities enable organized crime networks to hire their
illegitimate work by using their position of powerful and corrupt politicians. For example,
different independent criminals groups and gangs in the Camorra used their political
influence while conducting their business operations which allowed them protection from
the police (Bagley, 2004). Many times organized crime groups also use their businesses to
hide their illegal activities through legitimate practices. For example, the head of Boston
real-estate firm was sentenced to jail because he helped Stephen ‘The Rifleman’ Flemmi in
laundering the criminal proceeds by using his business (Albanese, 2004). These legal
business practices enabled the organized crime groups in transferring their illegal capital
that allowed them to grow their operations by using legitimate business practices. Many
people also use technology to hide their illegal practices behind legal operations. For
example, over 1,800 internet gambling sites that generated over $4.2 billion in revenue
permits individuals to bet even from jurisdictions where gambling is not legal and they also
engage in illegal practices of money laundering and fraud (Albanese, 2004).

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References
Albanese, J. S. (2004). North American organised crime. Global Crime, 6(1), 8-18.
Bagley, B. (2004). Globalisation and Latin American and Caribbean organised crime. Global
crime, 6(1), 32-53.
Galeotti, M. (2004). Introduction: global crime today. Global Crime, 6(1), 1-7.
Paoli, L. (2004). Italian organised crime: Mafia associations and criminal enterprises. Global
Crime, 6(1), 19-31.