Models of Organized Crime

Models of Organized Crime
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Bureaucratic organizations are based on a highly centralized leadership system. The organizations primarily have one central leader at the top most level of the hierarchy that issues orders to other leadership levels on the lower ranks. It implies that a bureaucratic organization has a well-developed division of labor system. A code of conduct entailing rules and regulations form the guiding framework for all subordinates. Leaders at every level of the hierarchy enforce and monitor subordinates’ complete adherence to the code of conduct. Members are prohibited from engaging in decisions without prior approval of the most superior leader. A bureaucratic organization engages members on the basis of their skills and competence in a given area of work (Le, 2012).
As one of the models of organized crime, leaders relay vital information about criminal activities through formal communication. Such organizations rely on written communication that is passed across the command chain. Leaders use such communication and strict adherence to control efficiency in the large-scale criminal activities. Organized crime groups spanning across countries may have a several corporations spread out across different territories. However, their operations are governed by a single commission. A good example is the Colombian based drug cartels and African American organized crime groups because they are formal, are prohibited from making decisions without seeking permission first and they must follow rules (Abadinsky, 2010).
Patron client organizations are starkly different from the bureaucratic organizations in many ways. Rather than using a hierarchical system to ensure efficiency, patron-client organizations depend on networks and relationships of clients with a patron to ensure efficiency. The patron has a network of clients in different areas of work and provides information and support to clients. In exchange to the information, protection and provision of necessary resources, clients repay the patron with loyalty and financial privileges as a show of respect (Roth, 2010). In the patron-client organization, all members or clients are allowed to make decisions without the patron’s approval as long as they are not detrimental to the organization. The patron-client organization holds individual clients accountable for mishaps in the administration of activities. Communication is not impersonal as is the case in the bureaucratic system because clients primarily rely on face to face interactions.
To understand its role in organized crime, the patron-client model requires that all criminals within a certain jurisdiction pay homage to a single patron. This is similar to a bureaucratic model that requires a single leader. However it is not based on rules and hierarchical system. The patron develops relationships with law enforcement to provide protection to clients. However, independent and professional criminals that fail to pay homage to the patron are not beneficiaries of the patron’s protection. Members in a patron-client model may not necessarily know each other but the patron may introduce them to each other while linking them for specialized criminal activities (Le, 2012).
In a bureaucratic model, members know each other and leaders or supervisors at different levels exert control over subordinates. The fact that the members are not connected w...