ORGANIZED CRIME
SYLLABUS CCJ 4641.0001
SPRING, 2003

Course number and Title: CCJ 4641.0001, Organized Crime
Time: Thursdays, 1:00 p.m - 3:45 p.m.
Place: HPA1- 116
Instructor: Dr. Fabianic Office: HPA1- 321
Ph: 823-5940
Office Hours: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., M W F; and by appointment.
Final Examination Date: Thursday, April 24, 2003
Final Examination Time: 1:00 - 3:45 p.m.
Final Examination Place: HPA1- 116

Course Description

This course will examine the topic of organized crime, its emergence in American Society, its activities, and its relationship to other principal social institutions and components of the criminal justice system. It will include a consideration of the historical economic, social, legal, and political events that led to the generation of organized crime. There will be a review of the precedents of organized crime and its history; the relationship of organized crime to federal, state, and local politics; the activities of organized crime figures; policies designed to combat organized crime; and some explanations for the persistence of organized crime. Also included will be a consideration of the new groups and forms of organized crime.

Course Objectives

To provide an acquaintance and understanding of the basic facts, principles, theories, and issues which define and characterize the subject of organized crime.

To assimilate knowledge about organized crime and learn how to interpret this information in relation to intellectual perspectives and current social environment.

To become aware of the techniques of asking questions, defining problems, and the methods of obtaining information pertaining to items of concern.

To enhance and exercise knowledge and skills compatible with a good education.

To present and analyze current issues associated with organized crime and its control, and inform students of the complexity of the problems associated with organized crime.

Attendance

Attendance in this course is strongly expected and your attention in class is required. Experience has proven beyond question that those who attend class regularly receive better grades than those who do not. Students are expected to attend regularly (at least 95% of the time). The instructor reserves the right to take roll periodically and reduce the final course grade for those who are frequently absent (not in class more than three times). Whether or not you attend class, and for whatever reason you may be absent, you will be held responsible for everything that transpires in class including announcements, lectures, assignments, tests, quizzes. Please note, the instructor is not obligated to provide private lectures, offer notes, nor repeat announcements for students who miss class.

Final Examination

The final examination for this course is scheduled for Tuesday, April 24, 2003, at 1:00 p.m. until 3:45 p.m. in the current classroom, unless otherwise announced. All students are expected to be in attendance. In addition, all students are expected to be present for all examinations and other exercises at their scheduled times. Cancellation of classes or examinations, if necessary, will be done only by an authorized individual from the Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies.

Format

There will be at least four examinations during the term including the last examination. Each examination will constitute up to approximately 25 percent of the total number of possible points throughout the semester. There may be other written assignments, but this will not be determined until later. All examinations will be confirmed at least one week in advance. Other assignments may be made at any time without warning, and this includes the possibility of unannounced quizzes in class.

First Examination --- Thursday, January 30, 2003 Unit One

Second Examination --- Thursday, February 27, 2003 Unit Two

Third Examination --- Thursday, April 3, 2003 Unit Three

Fourth Examination --- Thursday, April 24, 2003 Unit Four

All students must know their PID number. This will be used as identification on examinations. To get your PID, go to: https://connect.ucf.edu.

Grades

Exam grades, and the final course grades, will be determined by curving the point total. Grades will not be determined by percentages or a predetermined scale. This means that those students with the highest scores will receive the better grades and those with low scores will receive the poorer grades. The grading scale will vary from one examination to another as student performances and the total number of possible points on each tests varies. Usually, those students receiving point totals that are in approximately the highest 10 percent bracket are those that get the A's; the B's are usually made up of approximately the next 20 percent; the C's consist of approximately the next 40 percent; the D’s approximately the next 20 percent; and the F's are approximately the lowest 10 percent. Please note that these percentage designations are approximate and the actual distribution may vary. The final grade in this course will be determined by an accumulation of points throughout the semester and the satisfaction of all course requirements. Again, no predetermined percentage scale will be used in relation to a letter grade. Plus and minus grades will not be given. Grades will not be changed unless there has been a mathematical error in its calculation.

Plagiarism and Cheating

Cheating and plagiarism include, but are not limited to, any representation of someone else's work as your own, such as copying from another student's exam or work; using unauthorized notes or material; or copying from outside sources and failing to properly document them. The penalty for cheating or plagiarism is very serious. Do not do it.

Makeups

Students are responsible for taking examinations at the scheduled times. Makeup examinations are rarely, if ever, administered. In addition, it is not the policy of the instructor to accept requests for the assignment of additional work in order to compensate for or "make up" poor performance. Please do not ask. All requests for legitimate exceptions to this general policy will be accepted for consideration if put into writing, accompanied by supporting documents if required, and submitted in a timely manner.

Textbooks

The textbooks for the course are:

Organized Crime in America, first edition, by Dennis J. Kenney and James O. Finckenauer

Organized Crime: Contemporary Issues by Greenhaven Press

UNITS

Unit One (Exam One - Thursday, January 30, 2003)

Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 in Kenney and Finckenauer.

Readings 1 (FBI), 3 (Davis), 4 (Goldberg) in Chapter 1; and reading 4 (Shelley) in Chapter 4 in Organized Crime: Contemporary Issues.

Lectures and videos since the first day of class.

History and definition of organized crime. Models of organization. Social and cultural background for emergence of organized crime. Theories purporting to explain organized crime, and theories that do not explain organized crime. An overview of cultural transition and strain theories. The growth of new organized crime groups and the emergence of transnational organized crime. The evolvement of organized crime in New York in the social, political, and economic context of the 19th and early 20th centuries. A glimpse at the early gangs, Rothstein, Masseria, Marazano, Luciano, Anastasia, Murder Incorporated, Castellamarese War, Genovese, Dewey, Schultz, Profaci, Bonanno, Castellano, Lucchese, Costello, Gigante, Gambino, Gotti, and others.

Unit Two (Exam Two - Thursday, February 27, 2003)

Chapters 5, 6, 7 in Kenney and Finckenauer.

Reading 1 (Godson and Olson) in Chapter 4 in Organized Crime: Contemporary Issues.

All lectures and videos since the first exam.

History of organized crime in Chicago with focus on “The Outfit”, Colosimo, Torrio, Capone, O’Bannion, Moran, Anselmi, Scalise, St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, Ricca, Nitti, Giancana, Accardo, and others. The development of Prohibition and its importance to organized crime. The emergence of the drug trade as a major source of income for organized crime, and the development of new groups to handle the demand. Some comments on anti-drug policy enforcement.

Unit Three (Exam Three - Thursday, April 3, 2003)

Chapters 8, 9, 10 in Kenney and Finckenauer.

Readings 6 (Sterling) in Chapter 1; 1 (Maas), 2 (U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs), 3 (Anderson) in Chapter 2; 1 (Handelman), 2 (Sterling), 3 (Williams), 4 (Goldman), 5 (Luttwak), 6 (Anderson), 7 (Hersh) in Chapter 3 in Organized Crime: Contemporary Issues.

All lectures and videos since the second exam.

The ways that organized crime makes its money. Review of territory licenses, prostitution, loan sharking, extortion, gambling, labor racketeering, securities theft, drugs, and legitimate businesses. Also information on Las Vegas and organized crime. The “Myth” of organized crime and how the “Myth” becomes reality. Presentation of the theory that organized crime killed JFK. A review of ethnic groups which are at times included within the concept of organized crime, such as the Russian Mafia, Triads, Tongs, Yakuza, Colombians, and others. Substantial reading on Russian organized crime.

Unit Four (Exam Four- Thursday, April 24, 2003)

Chapters 11, 12, 13 in Kenney and Finckenauer.

Readings 2 (Jacobs), 5 (Reuter) in Chapter 1; 4 (Constantine), 5 (Kleinknecht) in Chapter 2; 2 (Freeh), 3 (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) in Chapter 4 in Organized Crime: Contemporary Issues.

All lectures and videos presented in class since the third exam.

Other groups that function as organized crime from time to time, such as motorcycle gangs, street gangs, and prison gangs. The weapons that law enforcement uses to fight organized crime, such as grand juries, witness protection, and RICO. A review of some policies that affect the fight against organized crime, and some observations on the likelihood of success. Extensive coverage of international organized crime.

The instructor reserves the right to alter the requirements or format of the course at any time with proper notice.