How Russian Mafia Differs from Other Criminal Organizations
Question 1
Throughout the decade of the 1990s, the efforts of non-governmental organizations, official institutions, and the general public brought the issue of organized crime to the attention of a number of countries that had not previously believed themselves to be particularly affected by the problem. The phenomenon of organized crime, which was formerly thought to be limited to a small number of nations, has recently emerged as a major source of worry on each and every continent. In point of fact, "organized crime" has become a catchphrase that is used to convey the growing anxiety of national and supranational public institutions as well as individual citizens regarding the expansion of domestic and international black markets, the increased mobility of criminal actors across national borders, and the perceived greater ability of criminals to taint the legal economy and undermine political institutions. This anxiety is caused by the expansion of domestic black markets as well as the increased mobility of criminal actors across national borders. Some definitions place a greater emphasis on the illicit pursuits that criminal organizations pursue, while others place a greater emphasis on the distinctive organizational styles that are characteristic of these groups. The argument that there are distinct "WHO" and "WHAT" categories of organized crime definitions is going to be dissected in further detail in the following section of this article. There will be a discussion on the consequences that various ways of conceptualizing organized crime have for public policy.
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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), organized crime is defined as "a group of individuals who have colluded to commit criminal acts." According to this view, criminal gangs depend on a rigorous hierarchy, a division of labor, and the use of violence or intimidation, among other things, to keep the peace within their ranks. Other theories suggest that criminal gangs utilize alternative methods. The 'WHO' school of thinking contends that the most effective way to deal with criminal organizations is to focus on putting an end to the illicit activities of the organizations' individual members. Since the 1950s, the media and various government organizations have referred to organized crime as a hierarchical network in their descriptions of the phenomenon. It would appear that there are as many definitions of organized crime as there are authors who have attempted to articulate the concept. In his 1983 study, Frank Hagan evaluated many definitions of organized crime in order to determine the traits that were common to all of them. Hagan (1983) found that over the course of 15 years, 13 different authors had offered definitions of organized crime in books and official papers. This is despite the fact that many of these sources failed to produce consistent definitions.
Researchers have found that different authors characterize organized crime in a variety of ways, despite the fact that there is growing consensus on the characteristics that identify organized crime. An overwhelming majority of investigators are in agreement with the significance of the following four characteristics of criminal organizations: longevity, efficiency, the demand for cooperation in order to maintain covertness from authorities, and the use of force or threats. Before a consensus can be achieved, there are a number of elements that need to be investigated in depth. These factors include the public's need for the service, monopolistic control, membership constraints, ideology, specialism, secrecy, and degree of planning (Maltz, 1985).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines "organized crime" as any criminal enterprise in which theft of money or property is the principal way by which it conducts its business. Gangs like this frequently resort to violence, threats of violence, bribery of public officials, and extortion in order to maintain their dominant position in the municipalities, regions, and countries in which they operate. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is responsible for developing what is considered to be one of the most significant 'WHO' definitions of organized crime. According to a definition provided by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), "organized crimes" are "crimes committed by three or more individuals as part of a pattern of criminal activity to obtain, directly or indirectly, financial or other material benefit." (UNODC, 2014). Only those it refers to as "transnational" crimes are the ones that the UNODC is concerned with. This word has been widely embraced by governments and law enforcement organizations throughout the world because of its emphasis on the role of networks in organized crime.
On the other hand, the 'WHAT' perspective characterizes organized crime according to the illicit pursuits that it engages in. According to this point of view, organized crime may be broken down into three primary categories: the trafficking of drugs, the trafficking of persons, and the washing of money. The 'WHAT' perspective proposes that in order to effectively tackle organized crime, the focus should be shifted away from the criminals and their organizations and onto the illicit conduct itself. In response to the question of how to characterize organized crime, Block and Chambliss stated that "organized crime [should be] defined as (or perhaps better limited to) those illegal activities involving the management and coordination of racketeering and vice" (1981: 13). As a result of this, the phrase "organized crime" is now commonly used to refer to any form of illicit business. As indicated by Frank Hagan's examination of definitions from the early 1980s (1983), American criminologists have come to the conclusion that organized crime consists of a long-lasting structure that acts rationally and is driven by the objective of generating money through the illegal use of methods. This belief was brought about by the fact that organized crime has been around for a long time. Research was carried out by Frank Hagan, which led to the development of this term. One issue on which proponents and critics of the "alien conspiracy" theory may be able to reach a consensus is that engagement in unlawful market operations is an essential component of any definition of organized crime in the scientific and governmental debate in the United States.
Nevertheless, there are situations in which the term "organized crime" is used to describe both the activities and the groups involved. According to the description offered by Block and Chambliss, organized crime is an example of a plan or method. Anyone living in the United States during the 1950s who believed in the concept of an "alien conspiracy" would probably agree that the term "organized crime" is the most accurate way to characterize the people who were participating. However, this view is held by some individuals who have a healthy amount of skepticism regarding paradigms. Depending on the surrounding circumstances, the term "organized crime" may be used to refer to a wide variety of illegal businesses that are managed by a consistent, hierarchical, and multi-generational gang. Peter Reuter asserts in his article "The Mafia Provides the Most Enduring and Significant Form of Organised Crime" (1983: 175) that the Mafia is the most significant and long-lasting form of organized crime. If the perpetrator is assumed to be synonymous with the crime, then the one doing the thinking runs the risk of committing a logical error (Maltz, 1976). The trafficking of cocaine, for instance, was referred to as "the single most serious organized crime problem in the United States and the largest source of income for organized crime" by the President's Commission on Organised Crime (1986: 11). The European Union (EU) is responsible for developing what has become one of the most important "WHAT" approaches on organized crime. "Organised crime" is defined by officials from the European Union as "criminal activities that are planned and carried out by a structured group of three or more persons acting in concert with the aim of committing serious crimes or offenses, in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit" (Council of the European Union, 2008). This notion has served as a compass for the tactics and actions that have been implemented by the EU to combat organized crime, with an emphasis placed on the criminal activities themselves.
Each of the 'WHO' and 'WHAT' views offers insightful information that can be included in the formulation of more all-encompassing strategies to combat organized crime and its associated problems. The viewpoint of the 'WHO' is that the most effective technique is to go after the criminal organizations and leaders at their most fundamental level. This may include investigations conducted covertly, the seizure of assets, and other activities designed to reduce the poverty, inequality, and corruption that provide a source of funding for criminal groups.
Question 2
There are various organized crime and related groups in the world such as in Italy, Russia, the US, Europe, and so on. The groups are also called mafia and are involved in illegal activities such as human trafficking, robbery, drug trafficking, and so on. The groups can operate freely due to their influence and power. Similarly, this study shall discuss the Russian mafia and its difference from other organized crime. It shall be discussed that under the dictatorship of Soviet Union leader - Joseph Stalin, numerous people were put in a Siberian labor camp known as Gulag in the past. Under such harsh life, confined people began to unite and they started to call themselves- "Vore- v- Zakone" which means "thieves in law". They made tattoos to communicate their stories of hardships. After the gulag was closed, the members were released and they expanded their operation overseas and became the Russian Mafia. Similarly, various theories about the Russian Mafia shall be discussed and the difference between the Russian Mafia with other organized crime across the world shall be highlighted.
Russian Mafia or Russian organized crime also known as Bratva originates from the Soviet Union. Organized crime began in Russia after the end of World War II. Joseph was the main crime boss during the 1990s and formed his "Red Battle Squads". They gathered funds from protection rackets and from big mines and local businesses. He also established a group known as the "Bolshevik Expropriators Club" but it was popularly known as the "Group of Outfit". It included ten members and three were women. They were included in procuring arms, raiding banks, executing traitors, facilitating prison escape, and so on (Verese et al., 2021). Stalin also imprisoned some members and after the death of Stalin, the member was freed. Those people along with various other gangs emerged and made the black market prominent. Russian mafia was one of the major threats to US national security during the 1990s.
To describe the structure of the Russian Mafia, it shall be mentioned that there is no single group present but there are numerous groups every Bratva had a unique structure and the boss is called “Pakhan” and is the head of the structure. Pakhan controls the criminal cells via an intermediary known as "Brigadier" (it is similar to the captain of a small group). He gives the job to warriors. The next position is “Two Spies” and it is a security group that watches the Brigadiers so that loyalty can be maintained. The next post is “Derzhatel Obshchaka” which is the position of a bookkeeper who collected capital from Brigadiers and used it to bribe the government. The next position is Bratok who works as a warrior. Another position is “Shestyorka”. It is the lowest rank within the Russian mafia (Verese et al., 2021). They also offer intelligence during a meeting. They also perform security actions.
However, the Russian mafia varies in structure and has three groups. One group is the Elite group which is led by Pakhan and he is responsible for the organization, management, and ideology of the group. It is the top group that controls other groups. Next is the Security group which is led by Pakhan’s spies. Their responsibility is to ensure that the organization continues running and keeps a bond with other criminal groups. The group is in charge of intelligence and security. The third group is the support group which is also led by Pakhan’s Spice. The responsibility is to overview the working unit and to gather money besides supervising the criminal activity. The group plans crime. A last group is a working group and there are four Brigadiers who control the activities of the group (Smith, 2020). It is the lowest group and they are involved in thieves, extortion, street gangs, prostitution, and other crimes. There are different mafia gangs such as Solntsevskaya Brata led by Sergei Mikhas which is the largest criminal group with 5000 members (Lonsky, 2020). Lyuberetskaya Bratya is another big group with 3000 members. The Odessa Mafia is another prominent Russian mafia group operating in the US and headquartered in Brighton Beach. Armenian Power is another criminal-based syndicate.
In the 21st century, new mafia bosses emerged in the Russian Mafia. One of the prominent leaders was Marat Balagula. FBI continued to control their activities as in 2009, they targeted two mafia leaders in Moscow. One was Yevgeny Dvoskin, who was in prison since 1995 for breaking immigrant regulations, and the other one was Konstantin "Gizya" Ginzburg who is the leader of organized crime in America. Across the globe, the Russian Mafia has evolved and is dominating several areas, and the police or FBI could not control them due to the power and influence of the Russian mafia. They have a stronghold in Atlanta where the gang members are differentiated by their tattoos. They also have a strong grip on French Riviera and Spain. They operate in around 50 nations and have more than 300,000 members and have a strong relationship with political leaders and the Russian government (Hassab et al., 2019).
Organized Crime is an enterprise set up for illegal activities that are highly complex. Such organizations are part of offenses like fraud, robbery, kidnapping, and so on. The main source of income for these organizations is supplying products or services which are illegal but have continuous public demand such as prostitution, drugs, and so on. The majority of the nations have organized crime (Marquette and Peiffer, 2021). For example, Europe and Asia have international rings of smugglers from historic times including drug traffickers, jewel thieves, and so on. Organized crime is present it is protected from courts or police interference in the majority of the areas as a large amount of money is given to gain political influence at the local and national levels. Moreover, profits from illegal businesses are invested in large businesses to gain their support.
Organized crime refers to a criminal enterprise that is continuing and working to gain profit so that it can invest in illegal activities. The activities are continuous by corrupting public officials, giving threats, and so on (Clark et al., 2021). Besides illegal activity, mainly narcotics trafficking and gambling are the main source of income for organized crime. They are also involved with loan companies and charge interest rates and are another source of income. They are also engaged in labor racketeering that controls union leadership so that the resources of unions can be used for illegal activities (Bright and Whelam, 2020). Hijacking trucks that are carrying valuable merchandise is another common activity of organized crime.
Russian mafia also called bratva is one of the most dangerous mafia than other organized crime due to their influence and vast reach. They operate globally and are involved in different criminal activities such as money laundering, extortion, and drug trafficking. They are known for their close ties with the government and violence. However, the Russian Mafia is unique as it does not include a clear definition or top-down hierarchy, unlike other organized crime groups. For example, the Italian mafia has Capfamiglia, Chinese mafia has Mountain masters but the Russian mafia does not include "irreplaceable leaders" (Savona et al., 2020). It shall be impossible to kill Red Mafia to top the entire organization as they do not exist only. It gives the Russian mafia a strategic advantage over those who want to destroy them. Russian Mafia differs from other groups based on their organizational structure. The Russian mafia is highly decentralized and has several independent groups that operate under the same name (Gilinskiy and Siegel, 2019). They have similar goals. It makes it difficult for law enforcement to dismantle the organization. Interpol and the FBI have taken many Russian gangs but immediately the gangs were replaced and could not be dismantled.
Another difference is that the Russian Mafia is involved in the economic system and political activity in their home country. They are known to use their influence and wealth to control police, politicians, and government officials and it makes it difficult to combat the criminal activities of the Russian mafia (Mandic, 2020). They have very close ties with their government which is hard to find in other criminal groups. They are one of the most powerful and dangerous groups as compared to other groups such as the American mafia or Italian mafia (Andris et al., 2021). Russian Mafia runs the Russian state. Although the Russian President has put his efforts into ending the violence of mafia culture that has arisen in post-Soviet Russia he did not completely eliminate the gangs but elevated the mafia to one a prominent position in Government (Andris et al., 2021). The Russian mafia controls the gas and oil industry and is a member of the Russian top bureaucracy.
The Russian mafia is the second biggest group in the world. After the Japanese mafia, the second largest is the Russian mafia. They are present almost in every nation including advanced democracies and have a share of police, judges, and informants. Russian Mafia has more than 10,000 members in the US. They are extremely ruthless as compared to other groups. Russian Mafia accounts for 40% of the global black market. Another difference is that, unlike many other organized criminals, the Russian Mafia has an alliance with other mafia gangs. For example, they have an alliance with the Italian mafia gang (Holmes, 2020). FBI has evidence that both gangs met several times and are involved in mutual assignments, trades, and so on. As evidence, when Italian mafia leader- Pasqual Scotti was arrested, two Russian mafia members were also arrested with him (Holmes, 2020).
Thus, to conclude it can be mentioned that there is organized crime in different areas of the world. There is a mafia group or organized crime group in every nation that performs illegal activities. This study has discussed one of the prominent mafia groups is Russian Mafia. The group evolved after World War II with the influence of Joseph Stalin. They are very powerful and are the second-largest mafia group in the world. The study has discussed the difference between the Russian mafia with other organized crime. It has been understood that one of the differences lies in their structure where Russian Mafia has a decentralized structure and there is no single leader whereas other groups such as the Italian Mafia group, American Mafia group, and others have single leaders thus, arrest or murder of single leader can dismantle the group but it is not possible for Russia as there is numerous independent leader. Moreover, they differ from others due to their aggressive nature, violence, political alliance, and strong alliance with other mafia gangs.
Reference
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