Sociology

Organized crime networks have expanded in the last two decades and now credit for 15 of the international economys Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Glenny attributed the expansion to the fall of communism and then the development of the market economy or capitalism in Eastern Europe. The fall of communism signaled the downfall of the economy and the struggle to survive the recession was through the rise of capitalism, which was taken advantage of by the Global Shadow Economy propelled by the business of organized crime lords. Consumerism propelled organized crime as the demand for drugs, arms and weaponry, minerals, women, etc. have increased. The consumer population has expanded yet again as organized crime lords seized opportunities of a global consumer population with majority of consumers from the European Union, Japan, and the United States.

By and large, Glennys investigation of the worldwide organized crime network was grounded on addressing why organized crime networks exist and how these networks, despite the interference of governments and law enforcement agencies and the decline of the global economy, still manage to thrive. Glenny asserted how the consumer culture is the major driver of organized crime, supported with actual evidences  photos and videos  during the journalists investigation of organized crime in various countries. Even with the global economic recession, organized crime networks still look for other venues to conduct business and thus adapt and provide for the demands of the consumer population. Glenny also reiterated that the evils of organized crime are connected to every aspect of our lives, especially as consumers, and must be taken seriously if global resolution is expected.

The emergence of globalization has not only ushered developments in technology and communication, multinational business expansion, economic interdependence, etc. but also the progression of worldwide criminal activity and linkages between organized crime leaders in various countries. Transnational organized crime is grounded on the idea that most major criminal organizations were now operating in close alliance with one another to the extent that there were regular international summit meetings held between high-ranking gang leaders (Shanty  Mishra 292). The cause of concern, as a subtext in Glennys arguments, is how global organized crime networks are taken lightly, if not given the adequate amount of attention by society and yet, our society is the primary driver for the affluence of organized crime groups around the world. Thus, Glenny sought to communicate to the living force that satiates the global shadow economy  our society that adheres to the consumer culture.

A struggling economy and the emergence of the market economy and consumer culture make the perfect formula for the growth and development of organized crime and its expansion to transnational organized crime networks. The fall of communism in Eastern Europe, for instance, which ushered the market economy made the countries in the region vulnerable to the lures of organized crime. After communism, there was social change ushering in the adoption of the typical Western culture of consumerism.

Organized crimes thrive on the needs and demands of consumers. The survival of organized crime groups heavily relies on consumer demand, and the emergence of transnational organized crime was a blatant effort to capture a larger market share and provide for the needs and demands of consumers in various countries. For instance, heroin and cocaine produced in Colombia, Brazil, Iran, Kazakhstan, etc. are smuggled to Western and European nations, women are trafficked to Russia and other Eastern Europe nations to become prostitutes, minerals from Africa are shipped to the Balkans, and illicit goods are transported to Italy and neighboring countries where the demands are higher than other nations. Even with the downturn of the global economy, organized crimes are patterned after what consumers can afford. Glenny reiterated that the recession limited the buying power of consumers to pay for drugs and the services of prostitutes, etc. Thus, organized crime groups are venturing into the market most in demand during these trying times counterfeit goods and cybercrime.

Organized crime is one of the primary factors that set the divide between third world and developed countries. Taking advantage of cheap labor in developing countries and forcing people in these countries to work for organized crime groups through violence stunt economic growth and prevent the resolution of poverty. When organized crime groups smuggle and market counterfeit goods, the profit they obtain exceed that from the goods that have been exported legally. However, the profit of organized crime groups from smuggling does not trickle down to the laborers in developing countries. Hence, as organized crime groups get wealthier, laborers and the countries from which their goods come from remain poverty-stricken and still reliant on pitiable labor opportunities that these groups offer them. Now, organized crime is moving into Western countries, such as Canada and the United States.

Transnational organized crimes are mostly beyond social control. Although some interest groups focus on disseminating information about the nature, causes, and effects of organized and while law enforcement agencies worldwide continue to battle organized crimes, these groups remain unruffled and continue to thrive on consumer trends. Glenny pointed out that the inability of law enforcement agencies to counter organized crimes is due to these agencies lack of resources. The amount of information that is circulating about organized crimes may well as be attributed to the lack of interest and attention in bringing these issues to light through intensive research, although unsafe and precarious as it may seem, Glenny proved to be possible.

Organized crime groups see themselves above the law. An alarming issue concerning international security is the capacity of organized crime groups to control even law enforcement. It is unfortunate that international law enforcement agencies lack the necessary resources in order to combat organized crime groups but this adversity gets worse with the capability of these groups to assemble their own law enforcement, which Glenny called privatized law enforcement. With this development, the fulfillment of social control to subdue organized crime groups becomes more difficult. Organized crime business or quasi-businesses satisfy the high demand for their products and services. They are able to expand their organized criminal activity even in states with relatively high levels of social control. In those countries with less capability for resistance, they can literally crush the society (Finckenauer  Schrock 124).

The first stage of arresting organized crime is by taking down offshore banking. Targeting the source of organized crime may well be a significant move to interfere with the transnational organized crime network. Funding is the primary driver of organized crime operations and the reason why law enforcement agencies have difficulty in subduing these groups. International cooperation is necessary in order to discontinue offshore banking for organized crime groups and seems to be a promising means to gradually achieve social control internationally against organized crimes. The argument made by Glenny was addressed to international law enforcement agencies.

It is also important to note that, with Glennys discussion of organized crime networks deviance in organized crimes retains some semblance with corporate or white-collar crime and thus, should be considered as a threat to social control similarly. The hidden hand in organized crime in America is not the Mafia, but leading representatives of the citys ruling class. A diagram which at first glance resembles a high school chart of civic worthiness, with its listing of financiers, businessmen, politicians and law-enforcements officers (Downes  Rock 240). Glennys primary argument was the role that capitalism or the consumer culture plays in the expansion of organized crime networks as it leads to these groups accumulation of extreme amounts of profit. Some corporations who display deviance also take advantage of their position in order to obtain large amounts of money.

Price fixing in Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) is also an example of how corporate crime is similar to organized crime. ADM conspirators engaged in a conspiracy to suppress and eliminate competition by fixing the price and allocating the volume of sales of citric acid offered to consumers worldwide (Simpson  Piquero 179). As previously discussed, organized crime networks are able to control the global shadow economy by organizing underhanded businesses from the production, the transfer to specific global markets, and the sales. Corporate criminals also assume the same type of control, not only as a means to gain majority of the market share but also to trump the competition and control the economy leading it to their advantage.

The analysis of Glennys arguments and the connections between organized and corporate crime yields two major points that might steer social control (1) the important role of consumers in being aware of the correlation of organized crimes to all aspects in their lives and vigilance in holding corporations accountable and socially responsible and (2) the importance for international law enforcement agencies to also establish a network and focus on targeting the primary force that fuels organized and corporate crime  the source of criminal funding.