European Crime Prevention monitor 2016: Organised Crime

Abstract

In this sixth monitor, the European Crime Prevention Network focusses on organised crime. Organised crime is a threat to citizens, businesses, state institutions as well as the economy as a whole. It not only menaces peace and human security, it also undermines economic, social, cultural, political and civil development of societies around the world and violates human rights. Organised crime is a broad, complex and multifaceted phenomenon which can touch upon various areas of life. Organised crime covers a wide range of phenomena, including trafficking in drugs, firearms and even persons. At the same time, organised crime groups exploit human mobility to smuggle migrants and undermine financial systems through money laundering. Therefore, it is not easy to get an overview of this phenomenon. To amend this, this monitor report provides an overview of the relevant existing data available on ‘organised crime’ at the EU level and also focuses on the main trends and levels op perceptions, experiences and recorded levels of ‘organised crime’ in the EU Member States.