Organized Crime, History of

The history of organized crime necessarily begins with a definition of organized crime, something that has perplexed law enforcement officials, government leaders, and scholars for years. There is no universally accepted definition of exactly what organized crime is. Two robbers who plan their roles, one who acts as a lookout and drives the getaway car while the other brandishes a gun and demands “Give me all your money!” have organized their crime, yet few would label such an action organized crime in the sense that one would label an act ...