GCJR1

increase trade and development. Crime groups have exploited the enormous decline in regulations, the lessened border controls, and the greater freedom to expand their activities across borders and into new regions of the world. They travel to regions where they cannot be extradited, base their operations in countries with ineffective or corrupted law enforcement, and launder their money in countries with bank secrecy or few effective controls. By segmenting their operations, they benefit from globalization while simultaneously reducing the risks of operating.

In the 1960s, most of the growth of transnational crime was linked to the rise of drug trafficking in such regions as Asia, Latin America, Africa, and even Italy, the home of the original Mafia. By the late 1980s, the trade in drugs was already equal to that of textiles and steel (United Nations International Drug Control Programme, 1997). Though the drug trade remains the most lucrative aspect of transnational crime, the last few decades have seen an enormous rise in human trafficking and smuggling (Naím, 2006). Yet what all these transnational crimes have in common is that they are conducted primarily by actors based in developing countries who cannot compete in the legitimate economies of the world, which are dominated by multinational corporations based in the most affluent countries. Therefore, the criminals have exploited and developed the demand for illicit commodities such as drugs, people, arms, and endangered species.

Globalization has increased the economic disparities between the citizens of the developed and developing worlds. Marginalization of many rural communities, decline of small-scale agriculture, and problems of enhanced international competition have contributed to the rise of the drug trade as farmers look for valuable crops to support their families. The financial need is exploited by the international crime groups. The same economic and demographic forces have created pressures for emigration, yet barriers to entry into the most affluent societies have increased. Criminals have been able to exploit the demand for

l f h l b d f l i ki h li 65% of sample

You are viewing a sample of the Kindle version

International Crime and Justice Kindle Edition:

Buy now with 1-Click

By clicking "Buy now with 1-Click", you agree to Amazon's Kindle Store Terms of Use. Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC

25 ratings

$55 49

Close