International Serious and Organised Crime Conference 2013
 

Concurrent session 1c—Policing: Conceptualising organised crime

Ms Monique Mann, PhD candidate, Australian Research Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, Griffith University

Organised crime has been conceived in a variety of different ways—as disparate, as rigid hierarchical organisations and as fluid spontaneous networks. The question then becomes, what do these incongruent approaches to understanding organised crime mean for the policing of organised crime within an Australian context? The connection between conceptual understandings of organised crime and the legislative and policing responses directed at preventing organised crime is examined. An historical overview of models of organised crime within the scholarly literature will be presented, while drawing links with the legislative strategies that are currently in force in Australian jurisdictions. In order to access conceptual understandings of organised crime in law enforcement domains, in-depth interviews were conducted with key stakeholders who have held directive or consultative positions in federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Preliminary findings will be presented, examining a range of issues such as the interface and tensions between legal definitions of organised crime and law enforcement conceptualisations of organised crime, the policing of organised crime including intelligence collection and analysis, measuring the extent and cost of organised crime and law enforcement efficacy in responding to organised crime in Australia. Through a discussion of these ideas, potential implications for policy and policing practice will be identified and explored.