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Over the last twenty years, traditional depictions of organized crime as an ethnic, neighborhood phenomenon have given way to discoveries of emerging transnational criminal enterprises involving trafficking, fraud, and corruption [...]

Public corruption appears ubiquitous and increasing in the last few decades, according to public opinion polls. Trials and convictions of public officials usually receive extensive media attention. It is expected that high profile convictions would reduce corruption in an area as it puts individuals on notice about such behavior. Selected US Attorneys' offices appear to account for the majority of public corruption convictions. This study examines the public corruption conviction rate for all 94 US Attorneys' offices in the US. Using 52 interviews with community stakeholders, former public officials, former prosecutors, and investigators, the nature of corrupt environments is examined to find aspects of a jurisdiction that encourage or inhibit corrupt behaviors. According to interviews, local history and culture, leadership and contagion, and watchdog/oversight activity impact the culture of corruption. Leadership is a double-edged sword. Leadership can both encourage corruption and curb it. Prosecutions may serve a purpose to hold corrupt officials accountable; it does not stem the tide of corrupt cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses studies of utopian communities conducted by Rosabeth Moss Kanter and Hugh Gardner. The studies found that mortification and transcendence are effective methods of social control. Studies of utopian theory and practice provide insights into the causes and control of deviance. Topics for further investigation are suggested. (AM)

Don M. Gottfredson is a very important person in the field of criminal justice. One of his most significant contributions is the result of his pioneering effort to make decision-making in criminal justice more rational by advocating reliance on more information. The offshoot of this is the use of sentencing and parole guidelines in criminal justice systems. A soft-spoken and friendly person with a pleasing personality, he is also a source of inspiration for students at the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University, where he served as dean and teacher.