There are various ways in which governments support organized crime. These support mechanisms are rooted in the inability of states to provide key political and economic goods and services. Such a failure often leads to the emergence of criminal organizations that provide goods and services and provide jobs. These states tend to be weak and corrupt, thus providing fertile ground for organized crime to thrive. Additionally, weak governments are susceptible to influence, making them a prime environment for crime to flourish.
Some of these institutions receive bribes from criminal organizations to protect their illegal activities. The principles of corruption and bribery are discussed in Module 4, as well as the mechanisms used by these criminal organizations to infiltrate and profit from public projects. Despite the many benefits that these organizations provide to communities and society, these organizations can be very costly. This is why it is so important for governments to understand the ways in which they can support organized crime.
While most criminal groups are not politically organized, they are sometimes able to gain influence over government officials and politicians through corruption. Such groups often use corrupt law enforcement and security personnel as leverage to protect their illicit operations. They can even influence government economic strategies by pushing for favorable regulations. Ultimately, they can even bring down a government that is already corrupt. So, what can be done to prevent such an outcome? As the question of the question suggests, governments should focus on the causes of corruption and how to break it.
