• E4J University Module Series: Organized Crime

• Module 2: Organizing the Commission of Crimes

• Introduction and learning outcomes

• Key issues

• Legal definitions of organized crimes
• Conspiracy
• Criminal association
• Definitions in the Organized Crime Convention
• Criminal organizations and enterprise laws
• Enabling offence: obstruction of justice
• Summary
• References

• Exercises

• Case studies
• Thinking critically through fiction
• Excerpts of legislation

• Possible class structure

• Core reading

• Advanced reading

• Student assessment

• Review and assessment questions
• Quiz 2
• Research and independent study questions

• Additional teaching tools

 

Published in April 2018

Regional Perspective: Eastern and Southern Africa - added in April 2020

 

 

  This module is a resource for lecturers  

 

Summary

 

"Conspiracy" and "criminal association" are characteristic organized crimes offences in that they criminalize the planning of crimes by groups and associating with organized criminal groups. Organized crime requires more than one person, and some rational planning and organization to carry out the criminal conduct successfully.

"Racketeering" is a newer approach to punishing ongoing criminal enterprises. Obstruction of justice is an example of a crime used by organized criminal groups to ensure their survival from law enforcement and prosecution as well as to continue to profit illegally. 

 

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