The Structure of Trade-type and Governance-type Organized Crime Groups: a Network Study

The Structure of Trade-type and Governance-type Organized Crime Groups: a Network Study

The paper provides a theoretical framework for categorizing organized crime groups based on what they do—whether they produce, trade or govern. It tests whether the internal structure of, respectively, a heroin distribution organization in New York City (trade) and a Sicilian mafia group, and the Provisional Irish Republican Army (governance) differ. Applying Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) methods to network data, we find the organizational structure of trade-type organized crime differs markedly from governance-type. The former displays a high level of centralization, an even distribution of clustering values, short paths and low homophily. Governance-type organized crime displays the opposite features. We conclude that the core activity of the group is crucial in understanding the organizational structure.

This paper is co-authored by Federico Varese and Niles Breuer

Federico Varese, Professor of Criminology, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford and…