Research Paper on Global Crime: Transmuting Power & Developing New Structures

Introduction

As alluded by Naim from Illicit, "globalization has given us new behaviors, new customs, new expectations, new possibilities, and new challenges. This bright new world has developed new horizons for illicit trade" (Naim n.p). Global crime is transmuting power and developing new structures of profit. To attain this authority and profit dynamism, criminal processes should encompass areas of volume and complexity, emulating and morphing into global corporate, legal, political, and social systems (Naim n.p). Naim's article recounts "the Five Wars of Globalization", regarding drugs, arms, intellectual property, citizens, and money (Naim n.p). The essay will give a critical analysis of these topics; gangs, human trafficking, Mexico-U.S. border, cybercrime, and heroine based on Illicit book.

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Global Criminality and Obsessional Behavior

Drugs and Mexico-U.S. Border

The borderline between the United States and Mexico is approximately 1,960 miles long, and the most transited global border in the world (Aguilar-Millan et al. 42). The border has seen the highest rate of smuggling of contraband goods like drugs and illegal immigrants (Aguilar-Millan et al. 42). However, in an attempt to try and solve the situation, governments have pursued strategies that have defined modern organizations. For example, during the Miami Vice days, the contraband drug was shipped from Columbia to the United States via the Caribbean islands (Aguilar-Millan et al. 43). As a consequence of successful enforcement actions by the United States, the drug barons shifted their shipment business west. The U.S. Customs Service made successful aerial interdiction, which proved weak in trying to curtail smuggling flights. Currently, there are five Mexican cartels; Gulf, Sinaloa, Juarez, Tijuana, and Valencia (Aguilar-Millan et al. 43-44). Finally, policy reforms have been cited as the best method of constraining the efforts of the cartels in engaging in human and narcotics trafficking across the borders (Aguilar-Millan et al. 43-44).

Human Trafficking

Human trafficking entails the unintentional movement of people across and within borders using forceful means, such as violence. It is among the leading illicit global trade and reportedly the fastest growing (Aguilar-Millan et al. 45). According to the statistics by the United Nations, global trafficking affects approximately 4 million people annually and generates projected yearly revenues of $7 billion to $10 billion (Aguilar-Millan et al. 45). The victims of human trafficking are often subjected to various types of human slavery, such as domestic slaves. In 2006, the majority of the human trafficking business was conducted in Cambodia, where the majority of victims were subjected to the sex trade in Southeast Asia (Aguilar-Millan et al. 45). Finally, globalization has made human trafficking simpler. Deregulation, open borders, and entwined economies, and the ease of global banking have also been mentioned as factors that have augmented the rate of human trafficking (Aguilar-Millan et al. 45).

Gangs

John M. Hagedorn underscores in his new book "A World of Gangs" that the rate of criminal gangs in the urban areas around the world is continuing to grow, and will not decline anytime soon (Hagedorn pp. 21-22). The members of these criminal gangs constitute of marginalized youths residing in ghettos and favelas, and they register as gang members to feel the sense of belonging and empowerment (Aguilar-Millan et al. 47). The modern gangs have the tendency to be structured like corporations, and many develop franchises in different locations (Aguilar-Millan et al. 47). The moment gangs become institutionalized, they cannot be deterred by any police force, and this has been the main challenge of being felt by law enforcement officers (Aguilar-Millan et al. 47). Finally, Hagedom provides some concrete recommendations to the government in an effort to deal with the institutionalization of gangs. One of the fundamental recommendations is to provide better job chances and improving education for lower-income societies (Hagedorn p. 78).

Cybercrime and Counterfeiting

Cybercrime is another global challenge that leads to identity theft, credit card fraud, and illegal financial transactions being done by unscrupulous tech wheezes. Contraband goods are also being nicked and distributed through internet sites (Aguilar-Millan et al. 46). The World Health Organization asserts that 50% of the medicines sold online are illegal (Aguilar-Millan et al. 46). Some of the cybercrime cases, where individuals have been nabbed include; hackers of cash register syndicate at the Dave & Buster restaurants were arrested in the United States. Nigeria installed a spyware program on Nasa worker's computer to capture personal information, such as bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, driver's license data (Aguilar-Millan et al. 46). Finally, Vee Excel Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Inc was charged with trafficking of contraband medicine into the United States (Aguilar-Millan et al. 46).

Heroin

The heroine is a drug that is obtained from the opium poppy, that is distilled into a potent drug (Aguilar-Millan et al. 48). The drug causes high levels of dependency and physical harm. The international consumption of heroin, however, is channeled towards the developed countries (Aguilar-Millan et al. 47). It is hard to examine the size of the market of heroin in Europe and North America with greater surety. Nevertheless, the CIA states that 57% of global consumption happens in Europe and Africa, and only 12% in the United States (Aguilar-Millan et al. 48-49). They further report that 70% of international seizures occur along land routes (Aguilar-Millan et al. 48-49). For example, the "Balkan route", it connects the Golden Crescent with Europe. It has two branches; the North of the Black Sea through Russia, Ukraine, and Eastern Europe. The other route is through Turkey, Bulgaria, and Croatia (Aguilar-Millan et al. 48-49).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the essay has provided a critical analysis of these topics; gangs, human trafficking, Mexico-U.S. border, cybercrime, and heroine based on Illicit book. policy reforms have been mentioned as the best method of combatting the efforts of the cartels in engaging in human and narcotics trafficking across the borders. Globalization has caused Deregulation, open borders, and the ease of global banking, which have exacerbated the rate of human trafficking.

Works Cited

Aguilar-Millan, Stephen, et al. "The globalization of crime." The Futurist 42.6 (2008): 41-46. Retrieved from: file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/globalization_of_crime%20the%20futurist%20(1).pdf

Hagedorn, John. A world of gangs: Armed young men and gangsta culture. Vol. 14. U of Minnesota Press, 2008. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=LcMaQQ0wfL0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=%E2%80%9CA+World+of+Gangs%E2%80%9D+by+John+M.+Hagedorn+&ots=fUi7ylbFFE&sig=-mzPBT3KSbLxBQqC-5_dUo-H3wQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%E2%80%9CA%20World%20of%20Gangs%E2%80%9D%20by%20John%20M.%20Hagedorn&f=false

Naim, Moises. Illicit: How smugglers, traffickers and copycats are hijacking the global economy. Random House, 2010.