Organized Crime and Consensual Crime Lecture Outline
Organized Crime linked to Supply & Demand for Illegal Goods & Services
Alien Conspiracy Model of organized crime & Myth—What is this & how well does it fit reality of organized
crime? (Barkan, Ch. 13)
& Ties to immigrants of all types, lots of diversity (= opportunity, not just Italians),
& related to Economic deprivation (Barkan Ch. 13). Moskos Ch. 4 & Leap Chs. 14, 15, 16 have lots of examples of
this idea.
Orgzed crime tie to legitimate businesses (Barkan, Ch 13) and Perdue example (lecture only)…
Consensual Crime – definition & key types (Barkan ch. 15)
Role of Market/Public Demand…
& link to Organized Crime (Barkan Ch. 13)
Illegal Drug use rates
Racial and Ethnic group use rates vs. R&E make-up of drug prisoner population (lecture only)
How prevalent and what types more so (Bark Ch. 15 & lecture). Generally Be aware that Drug use cuts across
all classes and racial and ethnic groups, though is more problematic in some areas and with the most
disadvantaged groups
Drug Crisis? If so, where (not entire US, certain in setting)? And what types of drugs most abused in US? (Barkan
Ch. 15, and lecture)
Examples of this in Los Angeles (Leap Chs. 14, 15, 16) and Baltimore (Moskos Ch. 4)
Drug Enforcement Cost & Imprisonment levels (Barkan Ch. 15)
How much of the “war on drugs” is aimed at Marijuana (% of drug arrests) the least harmful of the drugs? (Barkan, Ch. 15)
Lethality vs. Illegality of drugs –How do legal and illegal drugs compare on lethality? What does this tell us?
(Barkan Ch. 15)
Various Pro’s / arguments in favor of drug legalization vs. Con’s/ arguments against (Barkan Ch., 15)
Police views on legalization –Los Angeles (Leap Chs. 16) vs. Moskos rep[ort of police views (Ch. 4)
Drug-Crime link? Role of drug illegality (as opposed to effects of drug themselves) in violence (see Barkan Ch.
15), and why so much violence associated with open-air drug dealing in poor neighborhoods (see Moskos ch. 4)
Explanations for illegal drug use? Key social & economic factors (poverty, peers, parents, etc.)? (Barkan, Ch. 15)
Baltimore & Los Angeles examples (Moskos Ch. 4, Leap Chs. 14, 15, 16) Again, why do people use and
sell drugs in LA, in cases Leap studies?
MD approach to sentence to treatment instead of jail for low level drug offenders. (Barkan, Ch. 15 ), VS. Balt.
Police attitudes toward drug addiction and drugs generally (Moskos, ch. 4).
California Proposition 36 law on low-level drug offenders, similar to Maryland (Leap Ch. 16)
Harm Reduction approach ala Netherlands -- drugs as public health problem rather than just criminal justice
problem – delink marijuana from hard drugs in focusing drug enforcement, and delink personal use from higher
up dealers of hard drugs as focus of enforcement, combined with increased drug treatment and drug education.
Results in Netherlands? (Barkan, Ch. 15)
Organized Crime (Continued)
How well and highly organized are gangs in Los Angeles (Leap Chs. 14, 15, 16) and Baltimore (Ch. 4)/
Does this fit with Barkan (Ch. 13) Organized crime not so highly organized, not as hierarchical as thought, & more
loosely organized networks among many ethnic groups …
What is the structure of drug gangs -- various jobs, murder risk, etc.? (Moskos ch. 4)
In Baltimore , Gangs not so organized in drug distribution as organized crime, less organized compared to west
coast and Chicago (Moskos ch. 4)
In Los Angeles—How much are gangs involved in drug distribution & sales? How much do the 2 overlap? How
is selling drugs distinct from gang activity? Why do people sell drugs in cases Leap studies?
Demand reduction or Legalization, as key ways to reduce organized crime
Gambling – Frequency compared to other consensual crimes? Pro’s and Con’s of legalization? (Barkan Ch. 15)
Other points to be familiar with but not covered in class, or not a lot:
Explanations for Prostitution (Barkan Ch. 15) & Pro’s of Prostitution legalization (Barkan Ch. 15) – quite similar to
drug legalization argument…
Pornography and Rape (related or not?) (Barkan, Ch. 15)
Strategies to Control Organized Crime – Taking out leaders work? [Vs. other strategies] (Barkan Ch., 13)
Also, see Group Discussion Questions (lists some key issues in readings, many covered in class)