I've decided to type up a sort of handy dandy cheat sheet guide concerning organized crime . This guide may prove especially useful to any new members of this forum who aren't particularly familiar with the subject of organized crime . So without further ado here it goes :

Organized crime is crime that is carried out by criminal organizations . The term can also be used to refer to criminal organizations in general . While the definition of what constitutes a criminal organization may vary , the best one out there ( IMHO ) is the one which defines criminal organizations as organizations that commit crime for the purpose of profit . Of course one can find a fine line between organizations fitting this definition and that of terrorist organizations , however it's generally true that the activities of terrorist organizations aren't conducive to the purpose of illegal moneymaking , which ( usually ) puts them in a category separate from organized crime .

The most prevalent types of organized crime vary with respect to country , region , settlement , etc. , however I will be giving a brief rundown about the three most commonly mentioned/categorizable types of organized crime below :

Mafias : Also ( more correctly ) referred to as mob groups these criminal organizations tend to engage in more sophisticated types of illegal moneymaking activities and also show a pronounced tendency to stay under the radar when compared to ( say ) street gangs . Another common defining feature of mafias is their tendency to have important legitimate contacts and to widely make use of corruption to advance their criminal activities . These organizations also tend to have their membership skew to the older side of the age bracket . Prominent examples of mafias are the Italian American Mafia ( aka LCN ) , the Ndrangheta , and the Yakuza .

Street Gangs : Street gangs are more likely to engage in less sophisticated forms of criminal activity ( such as street corner drug pushing ) and also have a pronounced tendency to be less under the radar than their mafia counterparts . Such criminal organizations are most likely to be found in urban areas and also tend to have a younger membership than their mafia counterparts . Prominent examples of street gangs are the Almighty Vice Lord Nation ( Vice Lords ) , Mara Salvatrucha ( MS13 ) , and the 18th Street Gang .


Prison Gangs : Prison gangs are criminal organizations that are typically formed and primarily based in correctional institutions . While their operations tend to be mainly confined to prison , certain prison gangs ( such as the Mexican Mafia ) wield great influence outside of prison walls via their control of street gangs . Many prison gangs share much in common with street gangs with respect to their names , symbols , slang , etc. , . Prominent examples of prison gangs are the Mexican Mafia ( La Eme ) , the Aryan Brotherhood ( AB ) , and the Black Guerrilla Family ( BGF ) .