Organized Crime and Trust:: On the conceptualization and empirical relevance of trust in the context of criminal networks

Lampe, Klaus von; Johansen, Per Ole

doi:10.1080/17440570500096734

Cited by 178 publications

(99 citation statements)

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“…In fact, the cultural transmission of delinquent values, even though mostly happening among youth, is also a crucial element in studies on traditional forms of organised crime -such as Italian mafias. In deprived neighbourhoods there can be a breakdown of trust in authority and thus the rise of counter-culture in delinquency also among adults against structures of power (Hope and Sparks, 2000;Von Lampe and Johansen, 2004;Gambetta, 1993).…”

Section: The Environment and Criminal Organisations In Criminologymentioning

confidence: 99%

A qualitative reading of the ecological (dis)organisation of criminal associations. The case of the ‘Famiglia Basilischi’ in Italy

Sergi

2015

Trends Organ Crim

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This paper combines the theoretical foundations of organisational ecology -one of the most important approaches in economic sociology -with classic criminological theories to interpret the birth, evolution and death of criminal associations. This mixed approach will support the interpretation of organised crime groups as phenomena strictly linked to the environment as well as to other competitors in criminal markets. This paper analyses the birth, evolution and death of a criminal association in Basilicata, Southern Italy, known as the 'Famiglia Basilischi'. The case is exemplary of how ecological conditions affect the success or failure of a newly formed criminal association. These conditions can therefore be indicators to interpret organised criminal activities in similar environments.

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Section: The Environment and Criminal Organisations In Criminologymentioning

confidence: 99%

A qualitative reading of the ecological (dis)organisation of criminal associations. The case of the ‘Famiglia Basilischi’ in Italy

Sergi

2015

Trends Organ Crim

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“…Despite the emphasis placed on trust within these criminal networks this gap in the literature has received little attention (Gambetta, 1988; von Lampe & Ole Johansen, 2004). There also remains a gap in the police corruption literature in relation to studies that theoretically and empirically investigate trust in police corruption networks.…”

Section: Research Contributionsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Despite the emphasis placed on trust within criminal networks, with the exception of Gambetta's (1988) and von Lampe and Ole Johansen's (2002) studies, there has been little attention directed at bridging this gap in the knowledge (Gambetta, 1988;von Lampe & Ole Johansen, 2004). The current study has contributed to the knowledge deficit by providing a qualitative investigation into the role of trust in police corruption networks, which has distilled valuable and new insights as to how trustworthiness is demonstrated, used and leveraged by members of a corruption network.…”

Section: Chapter Ten General Discussion and Conclusion Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although there are numerous articles that have been written about the benefits of trust, such as it being a lubricant for social relations (Fukuyama, 1995;Hardin, 2002;von Lampe & Ole Johansen, 2004), that it fosters and maintains cooperation (Rousseau et al, 1998;Tsai & Ghoshal, 1998), reduces risk and provides a sense of security (Lane, 1998), the concept is multifaceted and complex. Six (2005, p. 4-6) outlines many reasons why trust is a difficult concept not only to understand as researchers but also to build and maintain in everyday life.…”

Section: Defining and Conceptualising Trust And Trustworthinessmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have highlighted the benefits of trust for a criminal organisation and often refer to it as a lubricant or glue that holds criminal networks together (Fukuyama, 1995;Gambetta, 1993;Hardin, 2002;von Lampe & Ole Johansen, 2004). Trust also fosters and maintains cooperation (Rousseau, Sitkin, Burt, & Camerer, 1998;Tsai & Ghoshal, 1998), reduces risk and provides a sense of security (Lane, 1998).…”

Section: Research Question Fourmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dark networks : criminal collaboration in Australian police forces

Merrington¹

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Police corruption networks, hidden within the police organisation, rely on a core set of relationships reinforced by an embedded police culture of exclusivity and silence. The opaque nature of these networks, coupled with the norms that support the hidden goals and agendas of corrupt police officers, provides a firm foundation for corruption to prosper and flourish.Previous research has demonstrated that police corruption cannot be explained by a few 'bad apples', instead prior studies show that corrupt police officers collaborate and collude together to operate effectively and remain hidden within the broader police organisation (Fitzgerald, 1989;Lauchs, Keast, & Chamberlain, 2012;Lauchs, Keast, & Le, 2011;Lauchs, Keast, & Yousefpour, 2011;Wood, 1997). Additionally, more recent studies have demonstrated that corrupt officers operate within a network structure (i.e., an established pattern of relationships and exchanges), which allows officers to gain access to new resources, capabilities, opportunities and connections not readily available if these officers engaged in corrupt behaviour in isolation Lauchs, Keast, & Yousefpour, 2011;Lauchs & Staines, 2012). As a consequence of this collaboration, secrecy, loyalty, trust and reputation are significant elements that bond officers together, allowing them to operate covertly. Accordingly, because of this gap in the literature, the current research aimed to investigate why police officers engage in corruption, the role of trust in facilitating and bonding officers together to allow them to participate in large-scale or serious corruption, and the network structures that result from these relationships.Given the intent of the study is to investigate the complexities and characteristics of police corruption, a single embedded case study design was chosen to present a unique and focused investigation around this phenomenon. Documentary and social network analysis were used to examine the structures of these networks, as well as to provide an in-depth investigation of the factors that aid the operation of these police corruption networks. The overall findings of the study reveal that officers collaborated and operated under a network structure reinforced by a subculture of unwritten rules, codes and acceptance by senior officers. This network was found to be dynamic, shifting in structure, membership and activity, but remained highly clustered and cohesive around a few core actors in the network. Additionally, the corruption network operated on relationships based on collaborations of trust. Officers used trustworthiness attributes, personal experience and third party information to assess whether a fellow officer was trustworthy enough to be a member of the corruption network, which resulted in a 3 'pipeline' of trust. This pipeline of trust was essential for the development and daily functioning of the network, because it allowed members involved to operate with more confidence knowing that fellow members could be trusted to keep the corrupt activities hidden.A...

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Criminal Networks

Jakobi¹

2012

The Wiley‐Blackwell Encyclopedia of Globalization

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Criminal networks are loosely connected individuals or groups that organize themselves without a central authority for carrying out a criminal enterprise. This activity can take place within or across countries. In particular cross‐national networks and transnational organized crime have risen in the context of globalization, caused by new means of communication and transportation, and global markets in which licit and illicit goods can be manufactured, exported and imported more easily. Criminal networks are active in any area of crime, ranging from drug trafficking to human smuggling, counterfeiting products and terrorism (most prominently, Al‐Qaeda). This entry focuses primarily on criminal networks (crime marked by an economic motivation), and less on terrorism (crime marked by a political motivation).

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Organized Crime and Trust:: On the conceptualization and empirical relevance of trust in the context of criminal networks

Cited by 178 publications

References 15 publications

A qualitative reading of the ecological (dis)organisation of criminal associations. The case of the ‘Famiglia Basilischi’ in Italy

A qualitative reading of the ecological (dis)organisation of criminal associations. The case of the ‘Famiglia Basilischi’ in Italy

Dark networks : criminal collaboration in Australian police forces

Criminal Networks

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