Beyond the Mafia

Organized Crime in the Americas

Moving past the scope of Mafia crime families in New York and Chicago, Beyond the Mafia offers, for the first time, a comparative perspective on non-traditional organized crime in the Americas. Providing in-depth coverage of 10 criminal groups, the focus of organized crime expands to Canada and Latin America, offering an extensive American view of organized crime from outside the traditional Mafia. Although the groups covered have contemporary significance, chapters include a historical overview as well as future considerations. Editor Sue Mahan has coordinated a coherent paradigm for the comparative study of organized crime: Part I introduces organized crime as an enterprise and explores patterns found in legitimate business along with those in criminal organizations. Part II discusses the role of violence in organized crime. Part III covers the concept of ethnicity and the relevance of culture to organized criminal groups. Part IV addresses the issue of opportunity and the ways in which opportunities for success are structured within organized crime. Finally, a concluding section explains the relationships between criminal justice policy and organized crime. This book is a valuable text of considerable interest for university and community college students in courses on organized crime, criminology, and crime in the Americas; scholars and researchers; and professionals in the criminal justice system who are developing policies in response to organized crime.