Organized Crime in Canada - Essay Sample

Introduction

It is essential to understand that a crime is an offense that merits condemnation and punishment by the community. This is usually done by way of paying a fine or imprisonment. It should be noted that the state prosecutes criminal offenses whereas it is up to an individual to take any civil action to court. However, in as much as it is a rare happening, it is possible for an individual to commence criminal proceedings. It should be noted that identifying that a crime has occurred is very challenging (Scherer, 2016). Therefore, the paper intends to study the various causes of crime in Canada, the existence of different crimes and finally the paper will investigate the effects of this problem in the lives of Canadian people. From the foregoing, it is true that organized crimes exist in Canada and the government should partner with other global leaders to ensure that this international issue is addressed.

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It is worth noting that organized criminal activities in Canada have got different dimensional problems that should be studied with a collective approach which is broad-based by the law enforcement institutions in the country. It cannot be denied that, for an extended period, these organized crimes have posed severe threats especially to the public safety as well as negatively affecting the daily lives of the Canadian people (Barker, 2014). These crimes are organized in various categories that include; outlaw motorcycle gang, aboriginal organized crime groups, Colombian cartels and emerging crime groups from Russia and Nigeria, and Traditional Italian Mafia crime groups. Any of these groups can be linked to illegal activities like human trafficking, drug trafficking, theft, and prostitution among others. It is true that these organized crime gangs have a corrupting as well as violent effects on the cities and communities in which they operate their groups. It should, however, be noted that the impacts of organized crime groups in Canada extend beyond the immediate and normal threat of these and other illegal activities. To encompass essential financial effects because of greater costs for enforcing the law and justice. Also, correctional systems which can lead to higher taxes, or other related expenses like higher insurance premiums and banking fees (Scherer, 2016). Also, organized crime rates can harm the health of people because it directly undermines the health and safety of the people of Canada through ways like manufacturing and distribution of untested and fraudulent pharmaceuticals or unsafe construction practices as a result of nationwide corruption and collusion.

Causes of Crime

In the modern world which is characterized by an increase in the interaction of human beings, some serious problems have also gone global. Such problems like epidemics, transborder pollution, nuclear radiation, global warming, computer viruses as well as economic crises are no longer internal problems (Barker, 2014). Notably, organized crimes are one of the problems as a result of globalization. It has been observed that criminal activities, both new and old, have increased, and the danger of violent crimes has increased in terms of its intensity and organization as a result of globalization. It is true that with increased knowledge in communication as well as transportation technology across the world, coupled with porous national borders, and computer networks that make the borders to appear irrelevant, global networks and increased offshore banking activities have all made organized crimes to be flexible (Barker, 2014). Besides, the expansion of criminal organizations has led to an increase in the level of violence activities through wars, attacks on state enforcement institutions, and political officials.

In Canada, organized crimes have created a market in violence, which is as a result of well-organized local and international criminals. This has been propagated by increased global trade in weapons which are used in mass destruction, as well as the increased spread of information concerning manufacturing nuclear, biological, chemical, bacteriological, as well as radiological weapons and finally the targeted publicity by mass media has all led to non-state sponsored terrorism to become a great possibility. Initially, these crime weapons were just available to a few powerful states and individual (Scherer, 2016). However, in the modern world ravaged by globalization, small states and individual and influential players now have access to these tools of global terror. In addition to the above, it should also be noted that globalization has led to incentives for locally organized crimes in Canada to threaten employment, social safety in industrial nations, and effects on wages. As a result of the increased circulation of capital globally and the advent of neo-liberal economic policies, there has been increasing gap between the poor and the wealthy thereby leading to increased interest in the crime choices in Canada.

Another factor that has led to increased crimes in Canada is the increased technological advancement. In the modern world, technology, and most specifically social networking has been integrated into every aspect of the life of people. Even for those who are yet to embrace this digital age, it is true to observe that technology is gaining ground in both their private and public interactions (Scherer, 2016). It is, therefore, no surprise to state that technology has widely been used in Canada to facilitate different types of crime, including and not limited to identity-related crimes like credit card fraud and violent crimes like sexual assault. In this category, an example is a cyber-crime which is a criminal offense that involves the use of computers to facilitate criminal activities or as a material used to facilitate the material constituent of the offense. It should be known that technology is also being used in situations to promote criminal harassment as well as intimate partner violence to spy on, locate, keep track of or to threaten individuals.

Effects of Organized Crime in Canada

It cannot be understated that the pervasive nature of organized crime in various domestic and global markets has increased impacts in all areas of Canada. It is true that sectors like healthcare, financial security, and safety systems are at the main concerns of those who are highly affected by the results of these organized crimes in Canada (Scherer, 2016). Also, another effect of these organized crimes in Canada is that it has been observed that the economic crimes committed by these groups have led to the loss of billions of dollars of Canadian money each year. These impacts go even beyond monetary effects. This is because, as mentioned earlier, corruption, intimidation, violence among others have been part of the activities of these organized criminal movements.

Alternatively, the fundamental Canadian rights have equally been affected as the right to order, peace, as well as good governance, have all been interfered with (Barker, 2014). It should be understood that such acts like intimidation or violence in the Canadian communities, increased corruption in the Canadian political system and government, reduced quality of life, interference with family life as well as poor personal security are all effects emanating from the operation of organized criminal groups operating in Canada.Combating Organized Crimes in Canada

Organized crimes in Canada has been a major national problem for years now. However, in as much effort the government has been putting, it is yet to yield any viable positive results. This section reveals some of the strategies that the government of Canada has been putting in place to combat this menace. With strict policies to guide these strategies, there are many hopes that it will help to significantly reduce and even fight this problem in the long term (Scherer, 2016). These measures vary ranging from even the incapacitation of major organized crime figures and the seizure of their crime proceeds to witnesses' protection plans as well as the introduction of electronic surveillance.

Firstly, by prosecuting persons involved in the organized crime, the government of Canada will be able to put to book those who are masterminding crimes in these groups. In this case, it would be more comfortable identifying other group members (Barker, 2014). With the introduction of ruthless legislations prohibiting involvement and participation in the activities of such criminal groups, the government of Canada shall have prevented the actions of this group.

Another way that can be used by the government of Canada to reduce the activities and prevalence of the organized crime goods would be by ensuring that prosecution is carried out using taxation laws. It is true that citizens of a country must file their tax returns alongside making truthful assertions regarding their incomes as well as keeping complete records of their businesses (Scherer, 2016). In this case, when a people cannot account for their incomes, whether connected to illegal acts of crime like drug trafficking or not, then option must exist in the form of prosecutions for failing to report appropriate information to the relevant authorities. The government of Canada should equally emulate other nations like the United States in employing special agents whose functions are to gather evidence of criminal violations for prosecution by the Canadian Department of justice.

Through monitoring of Financial Transactions and Tackling Laundering of Money. It cannot be denied that the activities such as trafficking of the drug as well as other profit motivated crimes to generate a lot of money. A lot of risks are associated with the accumulation of such money and transactions in large amounts of cash that are illicitly earned. Banks and other financial institutions can monitor money laundering as it involves the exchange of cash and the laundered asset.

Lastly, to help combat organized crimes in Canada, the kingpins of these organized crime groups should be met with heavy prosecutions. By introducing law enforcement strategies that focus solely on identifying and consequently prosecuting these kingpins of criminal groups (Barker, 2014). In this case, these members may be arrested or charged depending on the crimes they face. It should be noted that even charges of smaller infractions help in providing prosecutors with the ground to further carry out their investigation on the group.

Conclusion

It has been observed that organized crime has been one of the significant problems facing Canada. The fight against crime and its threats to democracy should, therefore, be keenly considered. The paper looked at various causes of organized crime in Canada in which it is noticed that advancement in technology, as well as globalization, has greatly promoted the spread of criminal activities in Canada. Various effects of crime in Canada have also been studied where it has been observed that crime has negatively impacted on the economy of Canada. The paper finally looked at the various ways in which the government of Canada can put in place to be able to combat the activities of organized crime in Canada.

References

Barker, T. (2014). Biker gangs and transnational organized crime. Routledge.Scherer, A. (2016). G8 against transnational organized crime. Routledge.