Running head: FIGHTING ORGANIZED CRIME AND TERRORISM IN THE US 1 FIGHTING ORGANIZED CRIME AND TERRORISM IN THE US 6 Fighting Organized Crime and Terrorism in the US Kathy Posey Colorado Technical University Abstract Fighting Organized Crime and Terrorism in the US Organized crime and terrorism are some of the leading security threats for America and its people in the 21st century. The two types of criminal acts are so rampant that, besides national security, they also threaten multiple aspects of the United States including the economy, politics and other interests. Having assumed an increasingly transnational nature due to the expansion of the internet and more open borders, organized crime is perpetrated by local and foreign criminals who endanger the US both within and beyond its frontiers (Finklea, 2010). Motivated by profit, organized crime can potentially jeopardize the economy through illegal activities like tax evasion. Specifically, tax evasion culminates in a loss of tax revenue for federal as well as state governments. Terrorism, although motivated by ideology, has the same effects as organized crime. However, loss of lives and destruction of property is synonymous with it. It is also important to note that terrorists can partner with organized criminal networks to obtain financial support to conduct their terrorist operations across America ((Finklea, 2010). The need for America to use all that is within its capacity to deal with such threats is paramount. Using examples of a criminal organization currently operating in the US and an act of terrorism to have been perpetrated in America, this paper discusses why it is important for the US government to focus the bulk of its law enforcement resources on fighting organized crime, or counter-terrorism. Discussion 1. Organized Crime in America Organized crime can be defined as the illegitimate activities performed my members of a highly organized and meticulous gang or association that involves acts such as supplying illegal products, narcotics, racketeering, gambling, pornography, and loan sharking among others (Finklea, 2010). According to Finklea (2010), some of the characteristics of organized crime include restricted membership, a structure, illegal enterprises, threats of employing violence and using violence, continuity, penetrating legal businesses, and corruption among others. Indeed, with such attributes, limited law enforcement resources would not accomplish much in the fight against such criminal groups. The origin of a group (s) of people working collaboratively to make profit through unlawful and often violent means can be traced the street gangs dominating the American urban centers in the late 1800s and early 1900s (History.com, 2019). Notorious gangs like the Italian Mafia and Forty Thieves in New York came into being as thousands of immigrants from Europe, specif.

1. Running head: FIGHTING ORGANIZED CRIME AND
TERRORISM IN THE US
1
FIGHTING ORGANIZED CRIME AND TERRORISM IN THE
US
6
Fighting Organized Crime and Terrorism in the US
Kathy Posey
Colorado Technical University
Abstract
Fighting Organized Crime and Terrorism in the US
Organized crime and terrorism are some of the leading security
threats for America and its people in the 21st century. The two
types of criminal acts are so rampant that, besides national
security, they also threaten multiple aspects of the United States
including the economy, politics and other interests. Having
assumed an increasingly transnational nature due to the
expansion of the internet and more open borders, organized
crime is perpetrated by local and foreign criminals who
endanger the US both within and beyond its frontiers (Finklea,
2010). Motivated by profit, organized crime can potentially
jeopardize the economy through illegal activities like tax
evasion. Specifically, tax evasion culminates in a loss of tax
revenue for federal as well as state governments. Terrorism,
although motivated by ideology, has the same effects as
organized crime. However, loss of lives and destruction of
property is synonymous with it. It is also important to note that
terrorists can partner with organized criminal networks to
obtain financial support to conduct their terrorist operations
across America ((Finklea, 2010). The need for America to use

2. all that is within its capacity to deal with such threats is
paramount. Using examples of a criminal organization currently
operating in the US and an act of terrorism to have been
perpetrated in America, this paper discusses why it is important
for the US government to focus the bulk of its law enforcement
resources on fighting organized crime, or counter-terrorism.
Discussion
1. Organized Crime in America
Organized crime can be defined as the illegitimate activities
performed my members of a highly organized and meticulous
gang or association that involves acts such as supplying illegal
products, narcotics, racketeering, gambling, pornography, and
loan sharking among others (Finklea, 2010). According to
Finklea (2010), some of the characteristics of organized crime
include restricted membership, a structure, illegal enterprises,
threats of employing violence and using violence, continuity,
penetrating legal businesses, and corruption among others.
Indeed, with such attributes, limited law enforcement resources
would not accomplish much in the fight against such criminal
groups.
The origin of a group (s) of people working collaboratively to
make profit through unlawful and often violent means can be
traced the street gangs dominating the American urban centers
in the late 1800s and early 1900s (History.com, 2019).
Notorious gangs like the Italian Mafia and Forty Thieves in
New York came into being as thousands of immigrants from
Europe, specifically Ireland and Italy, united for their own
financial gain and protection from other gangs and law
enforcers. Most of these groups were made of poor and
unemployed or lowly salaried youngsters living in the informal
settlements or slums. These members would be assigned
criminal tasks and receive allowances for each of the
successfully committed illegal assignment.
In the 1920s, the notoriety of organized crime in America
heightened when the American Mafia rose to power. This
association was an American-Italian organized-criminal network

3. operating in major cities such as Chicago and New York.
During the Prohibition Era in the 1920s, the American Mafia
succeeded in the illegal liquor trade but later shifted into other
criminal undertakings such as gambling, drug trafficking, and
infiltrating lawful businesses like the construction of garment
industry in New York as well as the US labor movements and
unions (History.com, 2019). Notorious Mafia characters such as
Al Capone and the group’s secret rituals and violent acts have
fascinated the general American public thus becoming part and
parcel of the pop culture.
Despite the federal government enacting numerous laws that
have enormously weakened organized crime groups, the
American Mafia still operates in the US. Currently, the Mafia
has more than 3,000 members and affiliates spread mostly
throughout the main cities in the Southern, Midwestern, and
Northeastern US as well as in California (FBI, n.d.). The largest
concentration of Mafia is felt in New Jersey, and Philadelphia
where they engage in trafficking hard drugs such as heroin and
cocaine, money laundering, political corruption, extortion,
illegal gambling, weapon smuggling, murders, extortion,
counterfeiting and kidnapping among others (FBI, n.d.). As
mentioned earlier, its leaders include individuals like Al Capone
and John Gotti.
Meanwhile, besides the American Mafia, there are other
organized criminal groups that commit criminal activities within
the US. They include the La Cosa Nostra (LCN) and the Yakuza
who are the main rivals of the American Mafia family.
According to the FBI, the LCN evolved from the Sicilian Mafia
and is a nationwide alliance of criminals connected through
blood ties (n.d.). Largely active in New York, Chicago and
Detroit among other parts, the LCN commits organized criminal
acts such as murder, money laundering, gambling, theft,
extortion, drug trafficking or smuggling, corrupting public
officials, tax fraud, labor racketeering, and prostitution among
others (FBI, n.d.). The Yakuza is a criminal group with its roots
in Japan and is one of the most centralized organized crime

4. groups in the world. Yakuza’s origins date back to the
Tokugawa Shogunate (1603 – 1868) from two separate groups
of outcasts and criminals (Higgins, 2014). The Yakuza are
identifiable by their full-body tattoos, missing fingertips, and
their theory of “stealing from the rich to help the poor” (2014).
There is no doubt that the law enforcement agencies must
concentrate their attention on these groups as they can smuggle
contraband and traffic people into the US, offer logistical
support and funds to terrorist networks, utilize violence or
threats as the basis for power, and manipulate financial systems
and conduct sophisticated frauds (Finklea, 2010). Moreover,
they can penetrate the energy sector, gather intelligence for the
US enemies and foreign governments, and use cyberspace to
target American citizens and or infrastructure.
2. Terrorism in America
Terroristic acts date back to the early resistance and political
movements in the first century AD (Roser, Nagdy, and Ritchie,
2019). The Sicarii (early Jewish terror organization) were
motivated to overthrow the Romans in the Middle East with any
measure deemed necessary (2019). The Sicarii targeted other
Jews they felt were working against the movement and would
kill them in public places and then cover their acts by crying
out as if they were in sorrow or morning of the murder (2019).
Another example of early terrorism is Guy Fawkes and his
unsuccessful attempt to have a Catholic monarch put in place
instead of King James I (2019). For the purpose of this paper, I
will focus on the modern terrorist attacks.
Terrorism is another crime that requires more allocation of the
law enforcement resources. After the September 11, 2001, also
known as 9/11, terrorist attacks in key American facilities, more
resources have been allotted to key agencies such as the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) whose role in counterterrorism
efforts has also been expanded tremendously. However, the 9/11
terror attacks did not mark the beginning of terror attacks or
counterterrorism efforts in the US. As a matter of fact, the
history of terrorism in America dates to 1978 when the recluse

5. Ted Kaczynski sent a series of bombs through the mail to
demonstrate his ideological opposition to technological progress
(Resnick, 2013). Although, prior to 9/11 and afterwards, most
Americans associated terrorism with the al-Qaida terrorist
group, its leader Osama bin Laden and Islamic extremism from
abroad, the US has also experienced homegrown terrorism in
which numerous deadly acts of terrorism have been perpetrated
by Americans themselves.
For instance, in 1993, Ramzi Yousef, an American member of
al-Qaida detonated a bomb below Tower 1 of the World Trade
Center in the first major terrorist attack on the US soil
(Resnick, 2013). Done in response to the US’s economic,
political and military support for Israel in the Middle East
crisis, the attack killed six people and wounded over a 1000.
The Oklahoma City Bombing of 1995 is another perfect case of
domestic terrorism. According to Resnick (2013), Terry Nichols
and Timothy McVeigh killed 168 people and injured more than
600 others after detonating a car bomb in the Alfred P. Murrah
Federal Building in the Oklahoma City. The two were on a
revenge mission over the US government’s handling of the
Waco siege two years earlier.
The 1996 Centennial Olympic Park Bombing during the Summer
Olympics in Atlanta Georgia was also an act of domestic
terrorism. Eric Rudolph, the US national behind the occurrence
had planted pipe bombs and shrapnel underneath the Olympic
grounds to express his anger over the US abortion policy
(Resnick, 2013). Although the 9/11 is America’ss deadliest
terrorist attack in history in which almost 3000 people were
killed, there are other smaller terror attacks such as the 2001
anthrax attacks, the 2006 SUV attack at the University of North
Carolina, the 2009 New York City subway bomb plot and Fort
Hood shooting, and the 2010 Times Square bombing (Resnick,
2013).
Conclusion
From its early days in the urban streets of the US to its current

6. day sophisticated nature and global connections that typify
organized crime, the illegal enterprise has grown and proven to
be a forceful entity that threatens the existence of America.
Similarly, terrorism has also had immense consequences on the
US as local anti-government extremists and foreign Islamic
extremists conduct fatal terrorist attacks on the US soil. In this
regard, the federal government ought to channel most of its law
enforcement resources to fight organized crime and conduct
counterterrorism efforts. The cost of the battle against
organized crime and terrorism can’t and won’t be easy. It can’t
be taken too lightly and must be fought head on. Critics say
that we don’t have the funds at hand to successfully fight and
win this enormous battle, but it must be addressed. Over time,
we all have seen what the enemy (domestic or foreign) are
capable of. The looming enemy won’t be concerned about
spending their funds to plan, develop, and carry out horrific
attacks on our citizens. What is the choice for our nation?
There is only one option and it’s to spend the needed funds to
train, explore technical options, build a stronger relationship
with our allies to ensure that our nation is ready and attain the
ability to maintain its safety.
References
FBI. (n.d.). Transnational organized crime. Retrieved from
https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/organized-crime
Finklea, M. K. (2010). Organized crime in the United States:
Trends and issues for congress.
CRS Report for Congress: Congressional Research Service.
Higgins, Silke. (2014). “Yakuza Past, Present and Future: The
Changing Face of Japan’s
Organized Crime Syndicates,” Themis: Research
Journal of Justice Studies and
Forensic Science: Vol. 2, Articles 12. Available at

7. http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/themis/vol2/iss1/12
History.com. (2019). Mafia in the United States. Retrieved from
https://www.history.com/topics/crime/mafia-in-the-united-states
Resnick, B. (2013). A brief history of terrorism in the United
States. Retrieved from
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/04/a-brief-
history-of-terrorism-in-the-
united-states/454713/
Roser, M., Nagdy, M., Ritchie, H. (2019). “Terrorism”.
Published online at OurWorldInData.org
Retrieved from: https://ourworldindata.org/terrorism
[Online Resource]