Organized crime is a complex and disciplined society of criminals who operate enterprises for the purpose of carrying out illegal operations. Groups of people who are organized in this secretive manner are less likely to attract immediate attention from the law, however, the size and scope of their operation eventually gain notoriety with law enforcement officials. Additionally, these criminal organizations are often associated with the mafia or terrorist groups. To effectively recognize organized crime, an individual must be able to recognize a pattern of behavior.
Drug Dealing and prostitution are some of the most lucrative illegal activities for crime rings. The behavior of drug dealers must be consistent enough to attract their clients without detection by the authorities. Much of the activity must be conducted without the use of phones and other forms of traceable contact, to avoid detection from authorities. The behavior will like involve a high degree of consistency, regards to time and location. Elaborate signals may be established in order to allow individuals who are seeking narcotics to know how to identify the individuals involved.
Prostitution rings may involve knowing when certain clients will be in certain locations and using non-verbal cues to pick up potential clients. Much of the success of these types of organized crime rings is understanding the underground culture associated with the crime. If you notice a pattern of behavior that indicates a crime is in progress, you should report the crime to proper authorities anonymously. These groups may have the resources to determine who the reporting individual is and often some form of retaliation will be pursued. Therefore, report crimes with caution. Some cities have organizations called Crime Stoppers where people can report crimes anonymously.
Some organized crimes operate from a store front. These for all intents and purposes are made to look like legitimate businesses, but they are actually a "front" for illegal activity. For instance, a hot-dog stand in New York may be a place to buy illegal drugs or a hotel may be a place to solicit prostitutes. Be aware of particular behaviors in order to spot organized crime. Fronts can also be used for laundering money, which will require frequent visits from higher level criminals in the enterprise.
Groups of people who hold the same belief system will bind together fiercely to force their belief system upon others. Those who do not comply may be humiliated, harassed, stalked, threatened or other by the criminals. The leader figure will provide the vision of the group and identify the target. Once the target is identified, the group will proceed to harass the person relentlessly until their needs are met. The group often makes it difficult for the target to report the behavior by making the harassment so specific to the individual that outsiders, such as police, would not detect the behavior as a crime. Such methods include following you with multiple vehicles, sending criminals to your home, and general vandalism. It is paramount to report this to the proper authorities to get the protection you need.
The goal of organized crime is to commit crimes without being detected or caught, hopefully we have provided you with the information to protect your home and neighborhood from illegal activity.
