Crime and security in Europe and the US

Abstract

National security issues are always raised after crimes have been committed which attract the attention of the public. Examples can be found manifold: Jewelry theft during the international film festival in Cannes, cyber-attacks on bank accounts or tax fraud worth millions of dollars. All those criminal activities lead to the question why those crimes are conducted. The answer to this question seems simple: It pays off. This chapter focuses on the economic motives behind criminal activities as well as highlights three distinct types of crime: Violent crime, white-collar crime, and organized crime. As all different crimes result from diverse intentions and are mainly conducted by different social classes, every single characteristic is discussed separately. Since crime is an international phenomenon which is not limited to national borders, security systems and their interconnectedness in Europe and the US are described and explained. Getting a deeper understanding of the motives and causes of crime is crucial to establish an effective judicial system which tries to minimize any kind of crime.