xx Introduction in a third country. In this sense, the global nature of a crime requires it to be stud- ied and responded to from a global, rather than only a domestic, perspective. The second way that global crime as a concept can be used is through its link with globalization. In this manner, global crime is understood to be a consequence of the increased opportunities for trade in goods and services that has resulted from free market globalization. There certainly are positive aspects of globaliza- tion, not the least of which is how international trade and communication has been facilitated. Companies are using supply chain technology that has revolutionized the movement of products, created jobs for workers in developing countries, and brought less expensive goods to the global middle class. In addition, the Internet facilitates worldwide distribution of information and enhances freedom to speak and to listen (Gilman, Goldhammer, and Weber 2013). But there are also negative aspects of globalization. Just as legitimate interna- tional trade and communication has been facilitated, so too has the illegitimate. Counterfeit goods now move as smoothly around the world as do the legitimate products. And for all the communication advancements brought by the Internet, there are as many examples of the Internet being used for illegitimate transactions and exploitative technology because they are of perfectly legal dealings and ben- eficial interactions. Today, from almost anywhere in the world, it is possible to purchase and receive anything from stolen art to trafficked people and wildlife. TRANSNATIONAL CRIME One of the most malevolent aspects of globalization’s negative side—called deviant globalization by some—is transnational crime (Gilman, Goldhammer, and Weber 2013). Incidents of transnational crime are those that occur across national borders, that violate the criminal law of at least one country, and whose resolution requires the cooperation of two or more countries. Much of transnational crime occurs as a result of criminal organizations and networks rather than by the activi- ties of just a few individuals. This makes sense because it would be difficult, if not impossible, for one or two people to have responsibility for all steps involved in carrying out a transnational crime. Using drug trafficking as an example, imagine one person harvesting the milky fluid from poppy seed pods in Afghanistan, pack- aging the dried resin for transportation, moving the packages over land and water through several countries, preparing the product for sale, and then actually selling the drug on the streets thousands of miles from where the poppy seeds were grown. Realistically, a network or organization of criminals is needed for this and most other crimes that involve the crossing of national borders. Conceptualizing Transnational Crime Beginning in the 1980s and early 1990s, the United Nations expressed concern about what was initially called transboundary crime—offenses involving more than one country. Five clusters of these crimes were identified: (1) internationally organized crime, (2) terrorist activities, (3) economic offenses involving more
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