Transnational organized crime interferes with the everyday lives of more and more people - and represents a serious threat to democracy. By now, organized crime has become an inherent feature of economic globalization, and the fine line between the legal and illegal operation of business networks is blurred. Additionally, few experts could claim to have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the laws and regulations governing the international flow of trade, and hence of the borderline towards criminal transactions. This book offers contributions from 12 countries around the world authored by 25 experts from a wide range of academic disciplines, representatives from civil society organizations and private industry, journalists, as well as activists. Recognizing the complexity of the issue, this publication provides a cross cultural and multi-disciplinary analysis of transnational organized crime including a historical approach from different regional and cultural contexts.

This unique text explores the expansive topic of transnational organized crime, incorporating expert perspectives found throughout the world’s six inhabited continents: North America, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Editors Jay S. Albanese and Philip L. Reichel gather the knowledge and expertise of numerous authors, researchers, and practitioners in this field who are either native to each world region, have extensively travelled and worked there, or are recognized scholars for those regions. Through this text, readers will begin to understand the geographic, cultural, and regional similarities and differences underying the common threat of transnational organized crime, as well as how to address the global expansion of organized crime today.

This book explains the history and development of organized crime and clearly demonstrates the economics and practices of crime in the era of globalization.

Transnational organized crime crosses borders, challenges States, exploits individuals, pursues profit, wrecks economies, destroys civil society, and ultimately weakens global democracy. It is a phenomenon that is all too often misunderstood and misrepresented. This handbook attempts to redress the balance, by providing a fresh and interdisciplinary overview of the problems which transnational organized crime represents. The innovative aspect of this handbook is not only its interdisciplinary nature but also the dialogue between international academics and practitioners that it presents. The handbook seeks to provide the definitive overview of transnational organized crime, including contributions from leading international scholars as well as emerging researchers. The work starts by examining the origins, concepts, contagion and evolution of transnational organized crime and then moves on to discuss the impact, governance and reactions of governments and their agencies, before looking to the future of transnational organized crime, and how the State will seek to respond. Providing a cutting edge survey of the discipline, this work will be essential reading for all those with an interest in this dangerous phenomenon.

Uses case studies, interviews, and the most up-to-date research to explore the connections between transnational crime and organized crime -- Back cover.

Though the provision of illicit goods and services is far from being a new phenomenon, today's global economic environment has allowed transnational organized crime an unprecedented capacity to challenge states. The authors of this book examine the trends underlying the explosion of transnational organized crime and consider possible responses. Emphasizing the difficulties encountered by individual states in their efforts to deal with this security dilemma, they highlight the growing importance of multilateral initiatives.

WRITTEN BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONAL FOR OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL IN THE TRENCHES This book examines the workings of organized criminals and criminal groups that transcend national boundaries. Discussions include methods used by criminal groups to internationally launder money; law enforcement efforts to counteract such schemes; and new methods and tactics to counteract transnational money laundering. A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO FACETS OF INTERNATIONAL CRIME AND MEASURES TO COMBAT THEM Intended for law enforcement personnel, bank compliance officers, financial investigators, criminal defense attorneys, and anyone interested in learning about the basic concepts of international crime and money laundering, this timely text explains: money laundering terms and phrases an overview of relevant federal agencies, transnational criminal organizations, and basic investigatory techniques the intricacies of wire transfers and cyberbanking the phenomenon of the "World Wide Web"