Major global crimes and criminal issue affecting international justice systems
The rise and growth of global crimes is dated back, after the cold war, where people adopted a capitalism and individualism way of conducting their operations. They include, money laundering, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, extortion, fraud schemes, human tracking bribery among others. These crimes have hit highest levels because of the post-cold war effects, which criminal have capitalized; lessened political and economic barriers. In addition, the advancement in new technology has also played a vital role in enhancing their criminal activities.
Bribery
International bribery usually involves economic and political leaders over privileges or favors from one group; they are based on selfish interests. For instance, the Lockheed corporation paid the Japanese prime minister $US 1.7 million in order to facilitate a transaction with the aircraft industry. In Kirpatrick vs Environmental Tectonic Corp. case, management of Kirkpatrick bid a contract to build an aero medical facility in Nigeria. The corporation was requested to pay 20% of the contract in order to secure it (Jaishankar, 2009). Since Environmental, Tectonic Corp also bid for the same although on a lower rate. It failed to secure the contract and raised complains to the Nigerian government, which did not act. The corporation resorted to use a diplomatic office in order to seek justice. This is a criminal issue, which has affected international justice systems especially in Nigeria, Africa.
Human and drug trafficking
The illicit trade of human and drug trafficking are intertwined in the way players, in the market execute them. In European commission in reported that human trafficking has over-weighed drug trafficking. Most of the criminals target women and children, mainly to exploit them sexually or otherwise. In Mexico, human traffickers use their products to exchange or “trade-in” with drugs to enhance their businesses. Currently, such operations are undertaken by cartels, which usually records over $6.6billion in a year. These funds are usually used to acquire women and children, who are exchanged for money, drugs, and sexual acts (Liddick, 2004). This is usually attributed to the fact that most Mexican men travel to America to look for jobs leaving their children and women in the hands of criminals. As it continues, America has come up with stringent laws on immigration. However, many have complained that the laws perpetuate racial discrimination, and should be removed.
Money laundering
This is the third world’s largest business by value. The UK incurs a cost of € 85billion annually according to a survey conducted by an insurance industry. The world loses a 2.7% of its GDP to money launderers. This international crime affects all countries and financial systems. This is the financial unit of other white-collar crimes and governments should strategize on how they can address these illegal transactions (Jaishankar, 2009). Most players business have perfected the art of carrying out their activities with the help of the new technology making it difficult for justice systems to prosecute them.
Arms smuggling and terrorism
Arms smuggling is sometimes done as a business or carried out by criminals, who aim at performing terrorist activities for their known interests. For example, On behalf of the UN envoy for the Middle East, Roed Larsen has proved that ammunitions were smuggled to Syria to carry out terrorism activities (Rozoff, 2012). Since these organized criminals need funds to sustain their businesses, the engage in narcotics trade or robberies so that they can buy weapons and meet other expenses. The UN convention against illicit drugs and narcotics reported this and claim that economies and political environment of countries have been changed because of this crime. Criminal justice systems have reported that some of these organized criminals have their undercover agents in “high” offices, and any efforts to bring them to book are always frustrated.
Compare and contrast various international criminal justice systems
In Europe and America, the police have a mandate of maintaining law and order as opposed to Russia where criminals are apprehended by the paramilitary before they are prosecuted. The process followed in the administration of justice is different; it is longer in Russia as compared to Europe and America (Pakes, 2004). The criminal justice system in America is discriminative against race. This is evident by the number of African Americans present in prisons as compared to white at any given point in time. Unlike in America, the criminal justice in European countries is strict and not defined by any form of discrimination. Criminal justice system of colonies and colonizers are the same. However, they do not operate in other countries. Since Africa was colonized by many countries, their criminal justice systems are not uniform; their colonizers define them.
In all criminal justice systems, the courts get a reference to the evidence before a suspect is sentenced. All criminal justice systems have that their correctional facilities play a vital role in changing the behavior of the criminals. The justice systems share information, and on behalf of the other, they carry out duties within their jurisdiction for the benefit of the other. Although the criminal justice process may be different, all criminal justice systems ensure that there is fairness and justice in following the rule of law.
How major global crimes can be addressed
There is no country, which is immune to international crimes. Therefore, this calls for the formation of the national criminal agencies aimed at fighting these crimes. In countries that have already formed, methods of operations are supposed to be reviewed to ensure efficiency (Gianari, 2002). Employing competent personnel in the criminal justice systems will speed the process cracking down criminal cartels. The justice systems should improve their mode of working in order to restore confidence to the public with a view of tapping information to apprehend criminals. There is a need to synchronize the operations of criminal justice systems with a view of leveling the punishments. This has happened in some countries who allow drug trafficking of some narcotics like marijuana; the establishment of criminal activities should be uniform. Governments should adopt the use of sophisticated tools like the use of satellite to monitor operations within their territory in order to reduce rates at which organized crimes take place. Immigration laws should be strict, and any immigrant residing in a foreign country illegally should be deported because they form targets or parties to criminal activities.
References
Gianari, W. (2002). The New World Order and the Need for an International Criminal Court. FordHam Internatonal Law Journal, 16(1), 88-118.
Jaishankar, K. (2009). International perspectives on crime and justice. Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars.
Liddick, D. (2004). The global underworld: transnational crime and the United States. Westport, Conn.: Praeger.
Pakes, F. J. (2004). Comparative criminal justice. Cullompton: Willan.
Rozoff, R. (2012, August 20). Russia Condemns Smuggling Arms To Insurgents In Syria « Stop NATO. Stop NATO. Retrieved November 13, 2012, from http://rickrozoff.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/russia-condemns-smuggling-arms-to-insurgents-in-syria/
