• E4J University Module Series: Organized Crime

• Module 1: Definitions of Organized Crime

• Introduction and learning outcomes

• Key issues

• Defining organized crime
• Definition in the Organized Crime Convention
• Similarities and differences between organized crime and other forms of crime
• Activities, organization and composition of organized criminal groups
• 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 1
• 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  

 

Possible class structure

 

This section contains recommendations for a teaching sequence and timing intended to achieve learning outcomes through a three-hour class. The lecturer may wish to disregard or shorten some of the segments below in order to give more time to other elements, including introduction, icebreakers, conclusion or short breaks. The structure could also be adapted for shorter or longer classes, given that the class durations vary across countries.

• Pre-class activity (time varies): Assign students to watch one or all series of the "Godfather" trilogy.
• (In-class) Ice-breaker (10-15 minutes): Ask students questions about the film "Godfather." (Discussion questions provided in the Module). Divide students in small groups and ask them to develop their own definition of organized crime and make a list of its main features.
• Give a brief lecture about definitions and key features of organized crime based on the Module narrative and recommended readings (25-35 minutes).
• Use some discussion questions (provided in the Module) to generate a debate about the topics covered in the lecture (20-25 minutes). 
• Break (10 minutes)
• Administer and evaluate Quiz 1 (45 minutes): Give students 15 minutes to take the quiz (sample questions are provided in the assessment section of this Module). Students can work in pairs to grade the quiz. They exchange quizzes and grade each other's results. Instructor asks individual students to read questions and discuss possible answers. This activity is expected to help students analyse the mistakes and learn from interaction with each other. For shorter class periods, quizzes may be assigned to students to be completed before class. In class, the instructor can ask students questions from the quiz in a form of an icebreaker activity.
• Assign one of the research and independent study assignments (provided in the Module) as homework for the next class. 

 

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