More writings from the defence and security think-tank RUSI (Royal United Services Institute) on organised crime.
Clare Ellis, Research Analyst, writes on the National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime. As many police forces struggle to adapt to the digital age, this raises questions about the UK’s ability to tackle the evolving threat. Innovation in serious and organised crime is increasingly interwoven with developments in digital technology. Without action, UK policing may find its skills gap becomes a firewall behind which organised crime becomes increasingly hard to disrupt, she warns.
And Helena Wood, Associate Fellow, looks at whether ‘crime pays‘, namely the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA), brought for law enforcement to undermine criminal businesses by recovering assets. POCA has now been in operation for over a decade; but has plateaued and is a fraction of the illegal drugs trade, for example. She concludes that the revenue generation ‘versus’ retribution debate looks set to continue. “In an effort to balance the books, there is a risk that cases will be selected on a revenue model, rather than on the basis of criminal impact.”
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