Organized Crime

Scope Note

Criminal organizations that operate illegal activities for profit. Activities and operations can include prostitutes and houses of prostitution; recruiting of prostitutes; auxiliary specialists (e.g. procurers, madams, pimps); organized homosexuality; illicit narcotics trade (e.g., drug peddlers, opium dens, crack houses); underworld gambling establishments; illicit liquor businesses (e.g., rumrunning, bootlegging, speakeasies); contract murders; Also any description of internal structure of organizations, leaders, business methods (graft, racketeering, money laundering, loan sharking, political protection), codes, conduct, initiation rites, special insignia.