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As existing literature on intergenerational continuity of criminal behavior is mainly based on data on 'general' offenders and their children, the current study aims to improve our knowledge by looking at intergenerational continuity of crime among a national sample of children of organized crime offenders. Judicial data on all (N= 478) offenders convicted of organized crime in the Netherlands (in the period 2008 - 2014) and their children were used to study offspring's involvement in crime. In addition, a comparison group was selected from the entire population in the Netherlands to examine the relative risk of offending. Results show that almost half of the children of organized crime offenders have a criminal record. Sons are significantly more at risk of offending and this risk also increases strongly by age. Furthermore, the results show the strongest intergenerational relation for violent crimes. Gender of the convicted parent and timing of parental crime also seem to play a role in the continuity. With regard to the relative risk of offending, the results show that children of convicted organized crime offenders are three times more at risk of offending compared to children in the comparison group, even after controlling for the number of parental crimes. In sum, there is a substantial risk of intergenerational continuity of criminal behavior among children of organized crime offenders. Future research would benefit from focusing on how criminal behavior in these specific families is transmitted to future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Judicial data on all ( I N i = 478) offenders convicted of organized crime in the Netherlands (in the period 2008-2014) and their children were used to study offspring's involvement in crime. With regard to the relative risk of offending, the results show that children of convicted organized crime offenders are three times more at risk of offending compared to children in the comparison group, even after controlling for the number of parental crimes. [Extracted from the article]

This research, based primarily on financial records of Colombian money smugglers found by Dutch police investigators, describes the costs and operations of a segment of the high-level drug trade not previously documented in the scholarly literature. Cocaine traffickers pay brokers to move their revenues from the Netherlands to Colombia. The transfers, almost all in 500 euro notes, amount to hundreds of million of euros annually during the period 2003-2008 and drew on the recruitment of hundreds of individuals not otherwise involved in the drug trade. The total cost of the service (bulk cash smuggling) is over 10 % and could be as high as 17 %. These data also shed light on the workings of criminal labor markets and point to some interesting imperfections. The existence and cost of this segment of the cocaine trade suggests that anti money laundering regulations, and perhaps drug enforcement generally, do significantly raise the costs of smuggling, though not of the retail price. The findings also are evidence of the importance 500 euro notes played in facilitating the drug trade, a claim often made but never previously documented (While the article was under review, the European Central Bank (ECB) came to the decision to phase out the 500 euro note. Also see ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]