Would organised crime pretty much disappear if governments decriminalised drugs and prostitution?

Question

Or is it funded in other ways as well?

True, fraud is a big part of organised crime, with everything electronic as someone said below.

But not many people pay protection money in this country at least (the UK), I know this differs widely between countries (in Italy for example, I think most businesses do).

For what it's worth I don't see the point of keeping drugs and prostitution illegal in terms of stemming supply, I've rarely known anyone who's been in need of either and not been able to get hold of them. It's not difficult if you know where to look, the only people who think keeping drugs illegal makes them harder to get hold of are people who don't take them anyway.

Answer 1

I think the criminals would find something else that was illegal and not related to drugs or prostitution - such as guns.
You'll never stop organised crime.

Answer 2

Well if you decriminalised EVERYTHING then there would be a 0 crime rate. You can't just decriminalise things based solely on wanting to reduce your crime rate. The main argument for legalising drugs is that if they're legal the government can regulate them, tax them and monitor them - as well as taking away the monopoly from criminal organisations.

A large amount of crime may dissappear - especially as mass producing drugs in factories would make them a lot cheaper so less people would have to turn to theft to fund their habits. However you still get the bad effects from people under the influence. The overall crime rate MAY go down, but other crimes would go up.

Answer 3

I don't think it would disappear. There will always be people who will prey on the rest of society. I don't think that taking away the penalty and just throwing open all the doors would really result in things getting better.

Maybe organized crime would go into law. All the drugs will result in lots of accidents and problems and so everyone would be suing each other...so the mob could all be lawyers. How would that all be for a twisted society!

Seriously, though, org. crime would go into racketeering. They would go into squeezing business owners for protection. They would get farther into politics. They would do whatever they thought they had to do to keep money coming in.

Answer 4

Not at all, they will just move onto something else, drugs and prostiution is old school these days, it carries to many risks of getting caught for the gang running it.

Alot of groups are turning to credit card and bank account fraud these days, with everything electronic they can target victims in other countries making it harder to track the offender down who could be based 1000's of miles away.

Answer 5

No. There's still be illegal gambling, and other white-collar crimes for the OC to partake in. Plus, for some organizations, bossing people around for protection monies is more than a way of life. It's cultural, even.

Answer 6

this has always been a world problem think that a person should decide what he or she puts into ones body the problem is the person that is doing the drugs always ends up hurting the people they love we the people always seem to abuse almost everything and anything including booze and those ladies of the night has always been around the problem with that is she would probably hop in bed with your honey then he brings you a great present of std

Answer 7

It would hurt organized crime bigtime!

It would take a lot of money out of the campaign funds too.

The Government could tax the hell out of it and BE the "crime boss".

Answer 8

No,it's here to stay whatever they do but I think they should decriminalise drugs and prostitution anyway.

Answer 9

I think that the more organized criminal organizations are into alot of other things besides drugs and prostitution.

Answer 10

not sure but is say yes. cuz drugs causes most problems, but family problems and poorness do too. so in a way no but it all depends