Organizational Crime and Politics in Jamaica

The relationship between politics and crime has stimulated the curiosities of criminologists who understand crime and political scientists who understand the nature of the political system. In this volume, an attempt is made to bridge both lines of inquiry. The nexus between politics and crime is explored by analysing the rise of organized crime in Jamaica. This book represents a dedicated attempt to treat in particular a most troubling and current expression of this nexus between politics and crime, that is, organized crime. It describes the rise of organized crime in Jamaica, its internationalization and efforts to consolidate its hold in the cities and towns of Jamaica. This development is accounted for in terms of its distinct structural roots and facilitators. The analysis is extended by further exploring two critical aspects of the problem: political corruption and party financing. The analysis of these two aspects captures the long, deep and troubling relationship between crime and politics. Discussions of crime in Jamaica are impatient of "solutions." An attempt is therefore made to press the discussion beyond an analysis of the problem, to approaches to solving it. Consequently, the book is structured such that following on from the discussion of each aspect of the problem there is a chapter that explores the broad approaches to problem solving. It is intended for a wide readership.

Anthony Harriott is Professor of Political Sociology and Head of the Department of Government, University of the West Indies, Jamaica.