criminology unit 5: white-collar, corporate & public order crimes
Explanation: Edward Teach was one of the most feared pirates of all time. Many of his victims gave up without a fight upon seeing him. His own crew feared him, but by 1718, he had over 300 pirates plundering ships in the Caribbean for him. During battles, he would weave hemp into his hair and beard and light it on fire. This along with his multiple pistols, swords, and knives made him not only successful at his chosen activities but powerful as well. When he died in battle in 1718, it was said that he had over five bullet wounds and 20 sword cuts before falling. You may be more familiar with Edward Teach's nickname: Blackbeard.
Carlo Gambino was born in Sicily in 1902 and would become the "boss" of one of America's most fearsome Mafia families. He came to the United States in 1921, smuggled onboard a freighter carrying wine and olive oil. When his boss was murdered in 1957, Gambino began his dynasty. By 1969, he had over 950 men and 25 crews in his organization. Under constant surveillance and charged with masterminding an armed robbery, Gambino would die in 1976 of a heart attack at the age of 74.
What do these two men from very different time periods have in common? They both engaged in organized crime. Although piracy is a bit different than what we see in The Sopranos or movies on the Mafia, it is an early form with many of the same characteristics: an organized effort to engage in illegal activities for profit.
In this unit, we will turn our attention to white-collar, corporate, organized, and public order crimes. Although public order crimes receive attention from the media and society, the other types of crime that we will discuss are often an afterthought behind street crimes in North America. Yet, these types of crimes cost society billions of dollars each year.
