The Globalization of Crime

With the world changing and advancing with technology, criminal organizations are taking advantage of new opportunities. The advancement of travel, ease of communication, and an increase in demand, has all contributed to the globalization of crime. Every nation has been affected by the globalization of crime and the problem continues to grow.

The term globalization is defined as the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and tapping of cheap foreign labor markets ("Globalization," 2013). Anytime there is economic gain or the need for cheap labor, there is opportunity for crime to grow. The globalization of crime can be traced back to hundreds of years ago. An example is in the late 1600’s to 1700’s, the ocean became the main source of travel for merchants. With the trade routes established, there was an opportunity for criminals to steal when the ships were most vulnerable. These criminals were commonly known as pirates and grew in number as countries expanded and traffic increased. The problem became so severe, countries utilized their navy to protect ships and track down the pirate ships.

With the world expanding and explorers setting out to discover new lands, the ability to reach out to other civilizations is becoming a reality. The discovery of new drugs or rare items in other lands, led to criminal groups expanding their reach to take advantage of the new market. Many new communities that were built lacked adequate protection or law enforcement which led to small groups of marauders that would terrorize the settlers and take their food and supplies. This also developed relationships with people in two different nations that had a common goal. A crime g...

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...national crime. By sharing information, monitoring issues, and stopping illegal criminal activity before it branches out, law enforcement has the best chance of preventing international crime.

In conclusion, globalization has led to the expansion of technology and wealth throughout the world. By opening the borders of each nation, it gives people the opportunity to learn from each other and become a better world. Unfortunately, with the good comes the bad. The opening of borders gives the criminal element the opportunity to expand and take advantage of the less fortunate. It is important for nations to unite in their efforts to address the globalization of crime by working together and sharing information. The globalization of crime affects the whole world whether directly from terrorism, drugs, violent acts, or indirectly from the increasing costs of security.