Social Organized Crime Perspective - Essay Example

Social Organized Crime Perspective The paper examines the concept of social disorganization and its relationship with organized crime. The paper explains the meaning of social disorganization and its association to organized crime and evolution of this crime. Further, the paper discusses how social disorganization satisfies the criteria for organized crime; this analysis comprises the examination of various relationships between organized crime and social disorganization. Finally, the paper examines the correlation between social disorganization and corruption to the development of organized crime.

Social Organized Crime Perspective According to Larry (2011), social disorganization refers to the failure of social organizations or social institutions such as schools, policing, businesses, and group networking, among others in certain communities and /or neighborhoods. Social disorganization occurs when members of a community fail to work and engage themselves as one cohesive unit. Consequently, persons within that community isolate and alienate themselves from other members of the community.

Social disorganization can be linked directly to rates of criminal activities. In various social settings, individuals in underprivileged neighborhoods participate in criminal behavior. This behavior provides them with power and wealth, which may not be readily accessible using legal means due to failure of community’s social institutions. The breakdown of the society gives the explanation of the relationship between social disorganization and organized crime and its evolution. Members of organized crime, may step into a community and provide the capability for the poor to find some success, which is not readily accessible through conventional means.

In a region where there is no production of a certain commodity, persons will be more inclined to engage in the production of an illegal product with an aim of making a profit. Criminal organizations will evolve due to demand increase of the commodity (Larry, 2011). Social disorganization, as a result of family deterioration, leads to organized crime where individuals join organized gangs as a replacement of family sense of belonging. Criminal activities become part of life for these individuals in the gang organization.

Cities that have higher cases of social and family deterioration tend to have high rates of criminal activities; this links social disorganization with crime. If there is a lack of support to the community, organized crime groups may come in and acquire control of the region, thereby, giving them the capability to continue their deviant actions with little or no risk of reprisal from the law enforcement agencies (Larry, 2011). Social disorganization largely facilitates organized crime through the creation of a culture and environment, which allows the continuity of criminal behaviors.

Rejection of societal norms, regulations and laws governing the institutions, and values, which promote the institutions’ purposes results to disruption of social order; this opens up the path for organized crimes. Social disorganization arises as a result of the decay of societal morals. Therefore, in a way, social disorganization meets the criteria for organized crime. Just like organized crime, social disorganization turns around the ignorance of the values and rules that run the society.

A socially disorganized community works hard in conforming to the norms, instead of trying to rectify the society for it to conform to anticipated norms (Thomas & Howard, 2009). Social order disruption leads to high rates of criminal activities in a community; it results from a breakdown in social control mechanisms. Criminal subcultures develop within the disorganization of a normative society, even in the presence of social norms. Organized criminal activities require populace conformity with the new norms of the gang (Larry, 2011).

The socially disorganized society allows for unjust treatment of minorities and occurrence of criminal activities. At the end, this takes the shape of organized crime as the criminal activities become accepted and no legal actions can stop them. Ability of organized criminal gangs to finance community projects forces the authorities and communities not to punish the criminals (Thomas & Howard, 2009). According to Thomas & Howard (2009), politics play an enormous role when it comes to development, social injustices and social unrest.

Corruption enables organized crimes across socially disorganized societies to flourish. Some of the organized crime groups are so wealthy that they can finance societal projects including financing political activities. Members of criminal organizations have held positions of influence in government and politics, thus enabling them to act with impunity since they have authority over social control instruments. In the event, legitimate institutions are used in hiding motives, which are largely illegitimate.

Highly corrupt governments provide few opportunities for legitimate activities since corruption hinders growth and development. In such societies, organized crime may be viewed as an employment option for the youth who are usually excluded from economic and political processes. History exhibits a clear correlation between corrupt, political machines and organized crime, particularly from 1920 to 1930. Some political leaders are directly associated with criminal activities, where they use illegally acquired wealth as protection against prosecution.

In addition, they use the wealth to finance their political activities; thus enabling them to hold various political positions in the government. Corruption in the government institutions such as police facilitates organized crime by protecting those individuals conducting criminal activities. The law enforcers accept bribes from organized criminal gangs; they carry out shoddy investigations thus allowing the continuity of delinquency (Thomas & Howard, 2009). References Larry, J.S. (2011). Criminology.

New York: Cengage Learning. Thomas, W. & Howard, A. (2009). Understanding Crime: Essentials of Criminological Theory. New York: Cengage Learning.