{ "id": "R40525", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R40525", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 374964, "date": "2010-12-22", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T22:12:22.731947", "title": "Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress", "summary": "Organized crime threatens multiple facets of the United States, including the economy and national security. In fact, the Organized Crime Council was reconvened for the first time in 15 years to address this continued threat. Organized crime has taken on an increasingly transnational nature, and with more open borders and the expansion of the Internet, criminals endanger the United States not only from within the borders, but beyond. Threats come from a variety of criminal organizations, including Russian, Asian, Italian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and African syndicates. Policymakers may question whether the tools they have provided the federal government to combat organized crime are still effective for countering today\u2019s evolving risks.\nOrganized crime could weaken the economy with illegal activities (such as cigarette trafficking and tax evasion scams) that result in a loss of tax revenue for state and federal governments. This is particularly of issue given the current state of the country\u2019s economic health. Fraudulent activities in domains such as strategic commodities, credit, insurance, stocks, securities and investments could further weaken the already-troubled financial market. \nOn the national security front, experts and policymakers have expressed concern over a possible nexus between organized crime and terrorism. Despite the difference in motivation for organized crime (profit) and terrorism (ideology), the linking element for the two is money. Terrorists may potentially obtain funding for their operations from partnering directly with organized crime groups or modeling their profitable criminal acts. Even if organized crime groups and terrorist organizations do not form long-term alliances, the possibility of short-term business alliances may be of concern to policymakers. \nIn light of these developments, several possible issues for Congress arise. One issue centers on whether the evolving nature of organized crime requires new enforcement tools. Some policymakers have suggested that current laws may not be effective at countering present threats from organized crime. As organized criminals threaten American society from both within and outside U.S. borders, should Congress expand law enforcement\u2019s extraterritorial jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute these criminals, and to what extent should Congress encourage multilateral\u2014both domestic and international\u2014crime fighting efforts? \nAnother possible issue for Congress concerns whether the resources that the federal government allocates to organized crime matters are adequate and appropriately allocated to counter the threats organized crime poses. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, national priorities and federal resources shifted away from more traditional crime fighting\u2014including that of organized crime\u2014toward counterterrorism and counterintelligence. For instance, the number of federal agents actually working on organized crime matters and the number of organized crime cases opened in FY2004 decreased relative to levels before September 11, 2001.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R40525", "sha1": "82bc4b8d3d6f43fed661c41b06c89a2ebc6491c9", "filename": "files/20101222_R40525_82bc4b8d3d6f43fed661c41b06c89a2ebc6491c9.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R40525", "sha1": "9ea328de3e2b1531ab31aaacd53d3e3ac984c268", "filename": "files/20101222_R40525_9ea328de3e2b1531ab31aaacd53d3e3ac984c268.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc503488/", "id": "R40525_2010Jan27", "date": "2010-01-27", "retrieved": "2015-04-30T17:37:21", "title": "Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress", "summary": "This report provides a background on organized crime in the United States as well as the tools that Congress has afforded for the federal government to combat it.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20100127_R40525_363b7b6092e801b1bad09a7bac1d9db768ca9871.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20100127_R40525_363b7b6092e801b1bad09a7bac1d9db768ca9871.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Criminal justice", "name": "Criminal justice" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Organized crime", "name": "Organized crime" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense policy", "name": "Defense policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "National security", "name": "National security" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Finance", "name": "Finance" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Financial crises", "name": "Financial crises" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc26146/", "id": "R40525_2009May15", "date": "2009-05-15", "retrieved": "2010-07-07T17:39:19", "title": "Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress", "summary": "This report discusses the threat of organized crime against the United States, most notably organized crime from criminal organizations in Russia, Asia, Italy, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa. The report explores the issue of organized crime in relation to the economic downturn and national security, namely terrorism. The report also discusses how Congress is currently working to address these issues and includes information on relevant pieces of legislation.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090515_R40525_83baabb3d7893beddbcc2828fe0a438e850b152b.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090515_R40525_83baabb3d7893beddbcc2828fe0a438e850b152b.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Criminal justice", "name": "Criminal justice" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Organized crime", "name": "Organized crime" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense policy", "name": "Defense policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "National security", "name": "National security" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Finance", "name": "Finance" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Financial crises", "name": "Financial crises" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc503310/", "id": "R40525_2009Apr16", "date": "2009-04-16", "retrieved": "2015-04-30T17:37:21", "title": "Organized Crime in the United States: Trends and Issues for Congress", "summary": "This report provides a background on organized crime in the United States as well as the tools that Congress has afforded for the federal government to combat it.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20090416_R40525_06a71699b553cc60ec5194f3d4f41eef22438f20.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20090416_R40525_06a71699b553cc60ec5194f3d4f41eef22438f20.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Criminal justice", "name": "Criminal justice" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Organized crime", "name": "Organized crime" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "International affairs", "name": "International affairs" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Terrorism", "name": "Terrorism" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense policy", "name": "Defense policy" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "National security", "name": "National security" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Finance", "name": "Finance" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Financial crises", "name": "Financial crises" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Foreign Affairs", "Intelligence and National Security" ] }