Organized Crime and Kentucky - Research Paper Example

Furthermore, the influences that such organized criminal gangs have had on the Commonwealth of Kentucky is both profound and impactful. This can be seen during the early 1960s with George Ratterman and his Committee of 500 attempted to rid the city of Newport, Kentucky of gambling enterprises that, in the eyes of many members of society, were both illegal and morally corrupting2. This truth was also reflected in the vice present during the middle 1980s when an organized group of police officers from Lexington, Kentucky known as the “Company” was actually found to be operating their very own drug cartel from within the Lexington Police Department3.

The preceding two events, and others similar, demonstrate just how significant a role organized crime has played in the history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This paper will work to examine the role that organized crime has played in the historical development of Kentucky. It was do this by conducting a careful examination of the various political influences that have allowed organized crime to flourish across the Commonwealth, and will explore the very culture existent in Kentucky that allowed such criminal activities to continue largely unchecked for decades4.

Finally, the paper will conclude by looking at various ways that the Commonwealth of Kentucky has shifted its focus and perspective towards organized over time. When considering organized in the United States, one often hears a discussion centered around the crime families of New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago. In fact, much is known about the organized criminal elements throughout history in these major cities. We can trace their development and origin, and arrive at various sociological theories to explain away their existence.

Less is understood, however, about the reality that organized crime has also flourished