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CJA/325

Criminal Organizations

3 credits

Total credits

5 weeks

Course length

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Take this course on its own, or as part of a degree or certificate program.

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Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

Course level: Upper Division

This course is a survey of the origins and development of organized crime in the United States. It examines the structure and activities of organized criminal enterprises, considers different models that have been employed to describe organized crime groups, and explores theories that have been advanced to explain the phenomenon. Major investigations of organized crime and legal strategies that have been developed to combat it are also considered.

Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

What you'll learn

Course skills and outcomes

  • Define organized crime.
  • Compare the various models that explain the structure of organized crime groups.
  • Describe the characteristics of organized crime and its common behavior categories.
  • Analyze the similarities and differences between organized crime and terrorism.

  • Explain the difference between an empirical and speculative theory.
  • Analyze various empirical and speculative theories used to explain organized criminal behavior.
  • Analyze the development and growth of major criminal organizations in the United States including the American Mafia, Mexican Mafia (La Eme), MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha), and the Gangster Disciples.
  • Analyze the impact of Prohibition on the proliferation of organized crime in the United States.

  • Analyze the scope of domestic organized crime groups and their interrelationships.
  • Analyze the connection between organized crime and terrorist activity.
  • Identify the prominent terrorist organizations worldwide and their political, social, and financial motivations.
  • Discuss the role of cyber-terrorism both domestically and internationally.

  • Summarize how the history of drugs, drug trafficking, and nativism and hostility toward minorities influenced drug laws.
  • Explain the evolution of organized crime.
  • Summarize the two broad categories of human trafficking.
  • Analyze the involvement of transnational organized criminal groups in cyber-crime.

  • Critique major federal statutes used against organized crime.
  • Analyze the legal limitations of law enforcement and intelligence agencies in dealing with organized crime.
  • Explain the role of federal agencies in organized crime law enforcement.
  • Investigate and assess major investigations of organized crime.
  • Assess the effectiveness of organized crime prosecutions, including legal strategies.

Why UOPX

Why take courses at University of Phoenix

Accreditation that matters

We’ve been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) for more than 40 years.

Real-world instructors

Learn from instructors who bring an average of 25 years of working experience to the classroom.

Affordable and potentially reimbursable

Our tuition and fees are competitive and fixed. Also, check to see if your employer will cover you for this course.

Next Steps

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Transfer Credits

Credit Transfer

Need to transfer credits to another college or university?

Before you enroll in a course, check with your school of choice to make sure they will accept our transfer credits and to understand any requirements or limitations. Then you can complete your course, and request your official transcript be sent to your school. That’s it!

How to request your transcripts

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. Although our continuing teacher education courses are accepted by some state agencies in the United States toward teacher certifications and endorsements, this may not be the case in all states or foreign jurisdictions. If you plan to use courses for certification or endorsement, please check with your own state agency and your school district for applicability. Continuing teacher education courses are not eligible to apply to degree programs at University of Phoenix. These courses are not eligible for federal financial aid. Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.