Assessing the Effectiveness of Organized Crime Control Strategies ...

TABLE 2
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ORGANIZED CRIME CONTROL STRATEGIES (CONT’D)
Strategy Evidence Benefits Costs/Limitations/Side Effects
Limited - coordinated attack on OC; OC - strike forces had juris-dictional
strike forces brought some disputes with US attorneys’
indictments; drug task forces offices & eventually were shut
brought many indictments & down
seizures/forfeitures & targeted
international organizations
Strike and drug task
forces (US)
Undercover operations
and informants
Limited
- required in many proceeds of
crime/laundering investigations;
may produce many convictions
& demoralize OC groups
Electronic surveillance Limited - viewed by some as indispensable
due to unreliability &
unavailability of other evidence;
much OC business conducted
over phone & in meetings;
yielded some convictions of
high-level figures
Intelligence analysis Limited - laid groundwork for the
disruption of Cosa Nostra
families; involved to some extent
Reducing the supply of
illegal goods &
services
Increasing regulation
and establishing public
benefit corporations
Legalization of certain
goods and services
Significant
Limited
Limited
in most OC investigations
- US drug war yielded many
seizures/forfeitures &
convictions
- weak regulation may favour
OC groups in controlling
industries; removed OC
influence from some sectors;
reduces costs of services as
cartels broken
- may lessen demand for
services provided by OC;
reduces law enforcement costs
& social/economic costs related
to illicit status
- costly; dangerous; informers
may be unreliable or overzealous;
officers may be corrupted or coopted;
may harm their lives &
third parties
- major privacy concerns; very
costly; planning of OC’s activities
may occur at several locations,
interpretation issues
- law enforcement resistance to
and lack of expertise in this area
- supply of drugs & overdoses
largely unaffected by war;
strained relations with source
countries; domestic gang warfare;
disproportionate penalties;
stronger OC groups empowered;
resistance to crop substitution &
eradication; unlimited supply
globally; groups adapt supply
routes
- excessive regulation may hinder
commerce
- OC groups may shift to other
activities; consumption of affected
good/service may increase along
with its associated harms; OC
groups may have larger markets;
regulation & taxation difficult
Overall
Effectiveness
Moderate
Low-Moderate
Moderate
Insufficient
Data
Low
Moderate-
High
Insufficient
Data
Research and Statistics Division / Department of Justice Canada | 57