In the maelstrom of globalization and cyberspace, organized crime continues to defy definition. A diverse array of activities is perpetuated by criminal organizations, criminal groups and associations, and gangs, and it is clear that one specific label is no longer adequate. This book offers a uniquely global approach to organized crime and the multitude of forces that shape it in the 21st century.

As well as discussing definitions of and the historical roots of organized crime, this book examines various forms of organized crime around the world in the US, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Russia and Europe, Asia and Africa. This revised and updated new edition includes coverage of:

• the rise of the ’Ndrangheta in Italy and their global expansion;


• the impact of drug legalization on organized crime and the problem of methamphetamine;


• organ trading, money laundering, and animal poaching;


• changes in gang traditions and gangland penitentiaries;


• the decentralization of Mexican cartels, the growth of opium production in Myanmar, and the drug war in Africa; and


• the advancement of ISIS and the emergence of the Silk Road and the Dark Net.

This book is essential reading for students engaged in the study of global and transnational organized crime, with features including chapter overviews, key terms, critical thinking questions, and case studies.