Reflections On Organized Crime And Small Group Presentations

Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are politically motivated Violent non-state actor (VNSA). Gangs may become disciplined enough to be considered organized. In the United States the Organized Crime Control Act (1970) defines organized crime as "The unlawful activities of a highly organized, disciplined association, Criminal activity as a structured group is referred to as racketeering and such crime is commonly referred to as the work of the Mob. The small group presentation showed us how Mafia is a term used to describe a number of criminal organizations around the world. The first organization to bear the label was the Sicilian Mafia based in Sicily, known to its members as Cosa Nostra. In the United States, "the Mafia" generally refers to the Italian American Mafia.