Global Crime Analysis

Global Crime Analysis
Global crimes cause global issues that affect the national and international justice system. For more than 20 years, as the world economy has globalized, so has its illicit counterpart. The international impact of global crime has risen to record levels. The increase in international crime represents the dark side of globalization. Transnational criminal organization has utilized ever-changing technologies, has adapted intricate network structures that are difficult to trace and stop, and have expanded their criminal activities. This has resulted in an unmatched scale of international crime.
Global Crime
Global crime threatens the safety and security of every person throughout the world. International crime is drug smuggling, human trafficking, trading in weapons, actions that involve serious violence and physical harm. Global crimes do not respect geographic borders. Non-violent crimes involve extortion, fraud, money laundering, counterfeiting, economic espionage, intellectual property theft, and cybercrimes. These global crimes are not influenced by violence, but cause major damage to those affected.
Global Drug Trade
According to the UN Drug Report 2012, between 153, and 300 million people consumed illicit drugs at least once last year (Wolf, 2012). Around 10% of users are considered “problem drug users”; this is a disturbing percentage because more than 100,000 people die each year as a result of illicit drug use (Wolf, 2012).

The problems associated with the illegal drug trade continue to grow globally. Global drug abuse and ease of access have become extremely complex, as trafficking routes are shorter, varied, and easily traversed, and as the demand for heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, and amphetamines become increasingly global, so does drug trafficking (Interpol, 2011). The increasing demand for narcotics is global, creating corruption, and soaring crime rates, and destabilizing entire nations (Interpol, 2011). The demand for cocaine has increased the need for cocaine trafficking, which has developed into an international phenomenon with the capacity to destabilize the health and security of countless individuals in countless countries. Previously, the cocaine market was mainly concentrated within the United States but expanded drug trafficking routes are making cocaine more accessible on a global scale (Interpol, 2011). Around 80% of the world’s cocaine is produced in Colombia, with smaller amounts produced in neighboring Peru and Bolivia (Interpol, 2011). The key markets for cocaine are Western Union and North America; however, the United States ranks as the largest cocaine market worldwide. Global Human Trafficking The crises in the international human trafficking of women and girls into enslaved prostitution have reached epic levels. Human trafficking is a global problem, despite a person(s) socio-economic status, history, or political structure. Human traffickers have crafted an international market for the trade in human beings based on high profits and an increased demand for prostitution and cheap labor. Men, women, and children are trafficked within and across international borders as well as within the United States. Migrants and internally displaced persons are especially vulnerable to human traffickers.
It is estimated that there are 21 million people enslaved worldwide (ILO, 2012). Human trafficking is the third largest global illicit trade and is growing at a higher rate than weapons and narcotics. The United Nations estimates that trafficking in persons generates over $10 billion annually for traffickers (Human Trafficking, 2007). The current growth rate, fuelled by high profitability, low law enforcement investigation rate and low criminal prosecution rate, human trafficking will exceed drug trafficking as the second largest criminal industry globally within the next decade (Human Trafficking, 2007).
Global Arms Trafficking
The illegal arms trafficking in small arms in the 21st century has exploded into a global phenomenon. It is reported that “more than 500,000 people are killed each year by the 639 million small arms in circulation, and in some conflicts up to 80% of casualties are caused by these weapons” (Stohl, p. 4) Dealing in small arms is the weapon of choice for transnational criminal organizations because arms are widely available, extremely lethal, cheap, portable, and concealable (Stohl). The international arms trade arms terrorists and terrorist groups operating around the world and are important to the global war on terror. The line between the legal and illegal trades in small arms is hazy at most, fueled by the lack of strict international criteria and controls and because transactions are carried out covertly, in which the extent of global illegal weapons trafficking is difficult to measure (Bergman, 2002). Some estimates suggest that the illegal arms trade could be worth $10 billion annually.
Global Law Enforcement
Global crime presents countries with a challenging task. Global crime crosses borders. Law enforcement institutions that have developed to combat crime were constructed to maintain order within national boundaries. Generally, law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies operate mainly in distinct, separate fields of authority. Nationwide, law enforcement agencies concentrate on criminal activity within the United States, whereas government intelligence agencies concentrate on the diplomacies and capabilities of foreign governments. As the increase in criminal activity has gone global, and as more the United States criminal statutes have been given extraterritorial application, law enforcement agencies have become increasingly interested in information about criminal activities outside the United States (The Global Regime for Transnational Crime , 2012).
Used properly, international law enforcement can be a powerful weapon against human trafficking, drug trafficking, and weapons trafficking as well as other global criminal activities. The increased growth and power of global criminal organizations has taken transnational crime to a global scale, and in such, a global law enforcement response is vital. International law enforcement and criminal justice systems must increase their intelligence-gathering and intelligence-sharing enforcement capabilities with other agencies, both domestically and internationally (The Global Regime for Transnational Crime, 2012). Combatting global crime requires criminal justice leaders to enhance their capacities beyond the issues of only law enforcement, and consider economic, political, and national security concerns as well (The Global Regime for Transnational Crime, 2012).

Conclusion
The nature of crime has changed. Crime has gone global. Crime has become organized and transnational; it has reached macro-economic dimensions; it has turned into a global business operating in collusion with legitimate activity. It has become more than localized violence - it has turned into a widespread threat to the security of cities, states, countries, even entire regions. International police forces are uniting to track down illegal trade but wanted criminals can be hard to pin down. Crime and justice are global concerns requiring concerted international action.

References
Human Trafficking. (2007). Retrieved April 20, 2013, from The Future Group: http://www.thefuturegroup.org/id20.html
The Global Regime for Transnational Crime . (2012, July). Retrieved April 21, 2013, from Council on Foreign Relations: http://www.cfr.org/global-governance/global-regime-transnational-crime/p28656#
Bergman, L. (2002, May). Gunrunners. Retrieved April 20, 2013, from PBS Frontline World: http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/sierraleone/breakingnews.html
ILO. (2012, July). Summary of the ILO 2012 Global Estimate of Forced Labour. Retrieved April 21, 2013, from International Labour Organization: http://www.ilo.org/sapfl/Informationresources/ILOPublications/WCMS_181953/lang--en/index.htm
Interpol. (2011). Drugs: Cocaine. Retrieved April 20, 2013, from Interpol: http://www.interpol.int/Crime-areas/Drugs/Cocaine
Stohl, R. (n.d.). The Tangled Web of Illicit Arms Trafficking. Retrieved April 21, 2013, from American Progress: www.americanprogress.com
Wolf, H. P.-C. (2012, September 18). Global Drug Trafficking and Control. Retrieved April 20, 2013, from Fair Observer: http://www.fairobserver.com/360theme/global-drug-trafficking-and-control