Responding to organised crime through intervention in recruitment pathways

This presentation explores one innovative response to organised crime that makes use of intelligence about how individuals become involved in illicit activities. Using prior research into the scripts used by organised crime to identify potential workers, a framework is presented to explain the opportunities that are exploited by organised criminals to recruit new members and for individuals in the community to agree to participate in organised crime. Two pathways are identified—on the one hand, strategies used by existing members of organised crime groups to seek out new members to facilitate proposed criminal activities (recruiter pathways); and on the other hand, environmental opportunities that make participation in organised crime attractive for previously law abiding citizens (recruitee pathways). Within each group, the mechanisms used to engage new workers in organised crime are categorised. Strategies are then identified to facilitate effective interventions that would make recruitment and engagement less attractive and successful both to recruiters and recruitees.