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Personal Perception of Organized Crime

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Personal Perception of Organized Crime
Jane Doe
CJA 384
John Doe

Personal Perception of Organized Crime
Organized crime is common is society today. There are many types of organized crime. The people who participate in organized crime are from all types of backgrounds and make various excuses for what he or she does. Organized crime is a part of life for some individuals.
I would describe organized crime as groups of people taking the time to commit criminal activity without being caught by law enforcement officers. I have in the past thought about the mafia or drug cartels concerning organized crime. I had never given much thought to gangs being a part of organized crime.
Many organized crime groups have law enforcement and politicians on their payroll, which disturbs me. The very people whose job is to protect society will deceive people to make illegal money. The politicians that society elects are no better than the corrupt police officers when he or she takes payoffs from organized crime group.
Television programs have made me think about organized crime groups as only large groups that make big money. The neighborhood gang is an organized crime group that disrupts the neighborhood and has no respect for members of the community. Movies like American Gangster made me more interested in learning about organized crime groups.
I have never understood how someone believes that he or she is above the law. I understand that the help to gain power and wealth comes from law enforcement and politicians. Organized crime groups make large contributions to political campaigns of the people on his or her payroll. Some people will step on anyone in his or her way to achieve his or her goal.
People today seem not to have morals or principles. The dollar controls more people than I realized. Organized crime groups work hard to gain wealth and power but none of this can go with him or her when he or she dies. I guess they just want to be remembered as a person who had and lived a good life.
I have a better understanding of how organized crime groups work. The fact the groups have leaders and other members with specific positions ensures that they can commit the criminal acts with the risk of being caught. Organized crime groups are loyal to each other and will resort to violence is the person is a threat to him or her. Once a person is a member of an organized crime group it is not easy to disassociate from him or her.
Many people who become a part of organized crime groups are searching for something or someone to make him or her believe that he or she is important. Many people have unmet needs of love, attention, power, and control. Organized crime groups are in a sense like family and to someone who has no one this is the closest to acquiring a family as he or she will ever have.
Organized crime groups seek out weak and easy to manipulate people. Members of organized crime groups have a clear understanding about the chain of command and what he or she is expected to do. The structure of the groups is interesting because majority of the time the members are loyal to the group but if an outsiders crosses them it is dangerous.
Organized crime groups have members who serve as the hitman. Killing is not problem for them, and he or she has no remorse. I do not understand how someone can take the life of someone else and sleep at night like nothing has happened.
Members of organized crime groups many times led double live. I mean that he or she does not discuss what he or she does. The members can distinguish between work and home. When members of organized crime groups are sentenced to prison many times his or her family has no idea that his or her family member has been involved in.
Organized crime will not go away, and the members will continue to gain power and wealth. Society needs to be careful who is elected to look out for the best interest of the people. Organized crime groups will continue to exploit and use people. Unfortunately, there will always be corruption among politicians and law enforcement.

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