Organizational Crime

A Organizational Crime is a crime committed by an organization or its representatives for the benefit of the organization.

• Context:
  • It can (typically) involve illegal activities carried out by an organization or its members to gain financial or other advantages.
  • It can (often) overlap with white-collar crime, corporate crime, and state-corporate crime.
  • It can range from being a regulatory infraction to a serious criminal act with widespread consequences.
  • It can result in penalties including fines, criminal charges, and reputational damage.
  • It can include activities such as fraud, embezzlement, bribery, and violations of regulations.
  • It can affect multiple stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, consumers, and the community.
  • It can be influenced by organizational culture, leadership, and external pressures.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Corporate Crimes, such as:
    • the Enron Scandal (2001), where deceptive accounting practices led to a major corporate collapse.
    • the Volkswagen Dieselgate (2015), involving the installation of software to cheat emissions tests.
  • State-Corporate Crimes, such as:
    • the Iran-Contra Affair (1980s), involving illegal arms sales facilitated by government officials and corporations.
    • the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster (1986), where ignored safety concerns resulted in a tragic accident.
  • Government Crimes, such as:
    • the Watergate Scandal (1972), where President Nixon's administration was involved in a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and subsequent cover-up efforts.
    • the Operation Fast and Furious (2006-2011), where the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives allowed illegal gun sales in an attempt to track firearms to Mexican drug cartels, resulting in controversy and congressional investigations.
  • Military Organization Crimes, such as:
    • the Abu Ghraib Torture and Prisoner Abuse (2003), where members of the United States Army and CIA committed human rights violations against detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
    • the My Lai Massacre (1968), where U.S. Army soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians during the Vietnam War.
  • Sports Organization Crimes, such as:
    • the FIFA Corruption Case (2015), where high-ranking officials were implicated in bribery and corruption related to the awarding of World Cup hosting rights.
    • the Russian Doping Scandal (2015), where state-sponsored doping of athletes led to widespread bans and repercussions in international sports.
  • Criminal Organization Crimes, such as:
    • the operations of the Sicilian Mafia, also known as Cosa Nostra, which engages in activities like extortion, drug trafficking, and money laundering.
    • the actions of the Yakuza in Japan, known for their involvement in organized crime activities such as gambling, drug trafficking, and protection rackets.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Organizational Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, which promote ethical practices and positive contributions to society.
  • Organizational Philanthropy, involving voluntary donations to charitable causes without illegal activities.
  • Personal Crime.
• See: White-Collar Crime, State-Corporate Crime, Organized Crime, Regulatory Infraction, Fraud, Bribery

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References

2024

• Perplexity
  • Organizational Crime: Organizational crime refers to illegal activities committed by a legitimate organization or its representatives to benefit the organization. This type of crime is distinct from individual criminal acts as it is committed in pursuit of organizational goals rather than personal gain. Examples include corporate fraud, price-fixing, and insider trading[1][2].
  • Government Crime: Government crime involves illegal activities committed by government officials or entities. These crimes can include corruption, bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of power. Government crimes are particularly damaging as they undermine public trust and can have widespread societal impacts. Examples include the Watergate scandal and various instances of political corruption[16][19].
  • Military Organization Crime: Military organization crime involves criminal activities conducted by military entities or personnel. These crimes can range from war crimes and human rights violations to corruption and illegal arms trading. Military crimes are often subject to both military and civilian judicial systems, depending on the nature and location of the offense[1].
  • Sports Organization Crime: Sports organization crime refers to illegal activities within sports organizations, such as match-fixing, doping, and financial fraud. These crimes can undermine the integrity of sports and lead to significant financial and reputational damage. Examples include the FIFA corruption scandal and various doping scandals in professional sports[1].
  • Criminal Organization Crime: Criminal organization crime, often referred to as organized crime, involves illegal activities conducted by groups specifically formed to engage in criminal enterprises. These groups, such as the Mafia, drug cartels, and street gangs, operate with a high degree of organization and coordination. Their activities include drug trafficking, human trafficking, money laundering, extortion, and more. Organized crime groups often use violence and corruption to maintain control and protect their operations[3][4][6][7][8][9][10].
  • Key Differences
    1. **Organizational Crime**: Committed by legitimate organizations for organizational benefit.
    2. **Government Crime**: Involves illegal acts by government officials or entities.
    3. **Military Organization Crime**: Criminal activities by military personnel or entities.
    4. **Sports Organization Crime**: Illegal activities within sports organizations.
    5. **Criminal Organization Crime**: Illegal activities by groups formed specifically for criminal purposes.
  • Each type of organizational crime has unique characteristics and impacts, but all share the common feature of being committed to benefit the organization or group involved.
  • Citations:

[1] https://criminal-justice.iresearchnet.com/types-of-crime/organizational-crime/
[2] https://www.lsd.law/define/organizational-crime
[3] https://www.isdp.eu/projects/organized-crime-groups/
[4] https://study.com/learn/lesson/organized-crime-history-types.html
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Organized_crime_activity
[6] https://study.com/learn/lesson/organized-crime-groups-history-examples-what-is-organized-crime.html
[7] https://www.unodc.org/e4j/en/organized-crime/module-1/key-issues/activities-organization-composition.html
[8] https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/organized-crime/typical-activities-of-organized-crime/
[9] https://www.unodc.org/e4j/zh/organized-crime/module-1/key-issues/defining-organized-crime.html
[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organized_crime
[11] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/organized-crime
[12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_criminal_enterprises,_gangs,_and_syndicates
[13] https://www.carmichaellegal.com/organized-crime-and-gangs
[14] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/organized%20crime
[15] https://clarifacts.com/federal-crimes-list/
[16] https://www.findlaw.com/criminal/criminal-charges/crimes-against-the-government.html
[17] https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/criminologyintro/chapter/9-5-organized-crime/
[18] https://www.justice.gov/jm/organization-and-functions-manual-10-partial-list-fed eral-matters-investigated-fbi
[19] https://www.criminallawyer.ms/federal-and-state-crimes /

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