Revised 8/2018

ADJ 216 - Organized Crime and Corruption (3 CR.)

Course Description

Addresses judicial efforts against and involvement in corruption, drug, vice, and white-collar crimes, both individual and organized. Lecture 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a basic understanding of the history, structure, and leaders of organized criminal groups and their dynamics within society. Furthermore, the student will recognize criminal investigative and prosecutorial methods impacting organized crime and corruption.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

None.

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

• identify and understand the origins of organized criminal groups.
• analyze the challenges of investigating organized criminal groups.
• define specific crimes associated with organized criminal groups.

Major Topics to Be Included

• Explain the history of criminal organizations across the world.
• Describe criminal activities of organized crime.
• Explain the relationship with organized criminal groups and loansharking, gambling, cargo theft, human trafficking, drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, and labor racketeering.
• Explain the attributes of organized crime.
• Define conspiracies and criminal enterprises.
• Discuss the impact of transnational organized crime.
• Define laws such as, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and the impact on organized criminal groups.
• Review asset forfeiture laws and the legislation’s relationship to organized crime.
• Examine the overall impact of organized crime and corruption on American society.

Optional Topics

Related topics at the discretion of the instructor