affect on Society. Organized crime is any group having some manner of formalized

structure whose primary objective is to obtain money through illegal activities. Through

violent tactics, organized crime is often very affective. The Mafia, more specifically the

Italian-American Mafia is a group of criminals organized into "families", and operating

primarily in North America. Organized crime is a widespread topic of concern among

many Americans due to its popularity in the media and entertainment industry. The public

is aware of its existence, yet is not fully aware of why and how this complex "underworld"

exists. In order to completely understand this area of criminology, one must take into

account the characteristics of organized crime and the individual motives to commit this

The beginnings of organized crime can be traced back to periods of vast amounts

of immigration within the United States. Many of the immigrants sought wealth and

prosperity upon their arrivals but inevitably found themselves to be members of the lower

class. While some groups, such as the Jews, were able to climb the social ladder, othe

minority groups are unable to achieve the "American Dream" through legitimate means.

explained by the Differential Association theory. The theory states that criminal behavior is

engaged in crime acts, he or she is then segregated from society and thus labeled, "criminal,

significant others in their social environment.

illegal activities such as drug trafficking.

channels are frequently driven to theft, burglary, prostitution and other offenses. Such

dignity. Powerful criminal organizations are controlling many individuals countries due to

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Approximate Word count = 1106
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)