Organized crime has long posed one of the greatest criminal challenges to law enforcement. Considered a different type of crime than those committed by individuals or small groups of criminals, these are crimes committed by an organized mob that work together and share in the profits. From the criminal gangs in early American history, to the outlaw gangs of the Old West, to the bootleggers of Prohibition, organized crime has a long history in the United States. Today, numerous organized crime families still exist - the best known, perhaps, is the Mafia - but there are many other types of criminal groups. ""Organized Crime"" details the range of tactics police use to identify, combat, and prevent organized crimes.Chapters include, Informants: They Call Them Rats; Surveillance: Wiring Informants and Tapping Phones; The Big Bust; Famous Rubouts; and When the Government Declares War.

Consultant editor: John L. French