Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

[Marcus Impudite]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

A world where vice crimes no longer exist would be a rather tall order.

 

Take the drug trade for example. Even if the currently illegal drugs were all or mostly legalized, that doesn't guarantee nothing new will hit the streets thereafter...possibly even substances that make PCP and Crystal Meth look like baby aspirin.

 

Prostitution legalized and regulated? No problem. The syndicates and the pimps working for them start catering more and more to individuals with darker, nastier sexual appetites that the legal brothels will have no part of. Not to mention the white slavery trade might still be very much alive and well for those wealthier individuals who prefer to "own" instead of "rent".

 

Gambling? Come now, there's very likely everything from cockfighting to a wide variety of underground human bloodsports all still available to place wagers on if you got the cash and are not adverse to watching two living beings fight each other to the death.

[bubba smith]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

true' date=' but the victory city campaign was four color.[/quote']

then that wold make it dark champions the animated series

[Dog Soldier]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

Perhaps things like this would be attractive to organized crime are well

[Peregrine]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

Yeah, but each of those cultures were distopias!

The Victory City world (or the United States of the Americas at least) is liberaterian. No books, foods, etc. are banned. Prescriptions are not required to buy drugs. Etc.

 

Although the ideas are cute.

 

The first question you need to answer is "what laws exist"? Organized crime would operate "just outside" of those laws, providing goods and/or services that the few laws prohibit.

 

Various forms of slavery come to mind immediately, as a key tenet of libertarianism is "I own me; no one else does or can"; slavery in any form violates this.

 

However, without your answer to the above question, we can't provide you with any other valid suggestions.

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

Politics and political corruption.

 

Think of organized crime as basically being an especially evil corporation. There are always going to be "interests" and businesses (some even being legitimate) that they want to protect and improve the profitability of. Often, the best way to do that is to get "into" the processes that make, change or repeal laws.

 

Have zoning regulations altered so a development can go through or, conversely (if it benefits a competitor more), to stop it.

 

The government is setting up a project of some sort, and puts out tenders for who gets to build it or run it. Organized crime may see it as potentially being VERY profitable or otherwise useful, so being able to mess with the selection process would be in their interests.

 

"Fixing" elections, and/or the selection of indivduals for certain jobs. I imagine a crimelord would be interested in anything that could help him be the one that chose the new Police Commissioner, for instance.

[nexus]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

Those are all pretty good. This is a setting with commercially available androids and "replicants" (kind of like an organic version of an android, with a programmable brain), human cloning(the only legally permissible variety falls into two categories--cloning of select tissue/organs for replacement parts, and cloning of a "blank slate" to have the consciousness somehow implanted in, in the case of death--very expensive, only available to the ultrarich--think "The 6th Day", though possibly someone filthy rich could actually get an esper to transfer their unique consciousness into the clone), space travel, aliens, etc.

 

Maybe there's an underground market for human blood (vampires here and there), or one for "programmable" clones of human celebrities(the ultimate form of identity theft, I suppose)? Maybe someone wants to eat something on the endangered species list?

 

There might be good side money in figuring out ways to get/keep metacriminals out of jail, too.

 

You may want to look at the setting for GURPS: Transhuman Space particularly Broken Dream if you haven't already. It's sounds like your setting is very similar except of the addition of superhumans and other fanciful elements. There's some good information on crime and how it might adapt in such a setting.

[Lucius]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

Those are all pretty good. This is a setting with commercially available androids and "replicants" (kind of like an organic version of an android' date=' with a programmable brain), .[/quote']

 

Uh...an android IS organic. I think you mean, there are both passably humanoid robots and androids.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

But no palindromedaries

[SSgt Baloo]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

Uh...an android IS organic. I think you mean, there are both passably humanoid robots and androids.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

But no palindromedaries

 

Actually, androids are anthropomorphic robots intended to closely resemble human beings. They need not be organic. Replicant, on the other hand, is a term coined by Ridley Scott because if he had used the term "android" there might be certain expectations from the audience that would result in what I like to refer to as Geekoplexy (a combination of Geek and apoplexy). Geekoplexy is what happens when a geeks expectations are not satisfactorily met, resulting in remarks such as "The director of this movie is an idiot!! Everyone knows that Androids Dream of Electric Sheep!"

[Yansuf]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

then that wold make it dark champions the animated series

 

Not really.

The problems the PCs dealt with were definitely NOT street level, they involved world shaking plots.

 

Organized crime didn't enter into it any more than it does in a Superman comic.

 

Megaplayboy may be planning to run a "Dark Champions the Animated Series" campaign in that world, but the one played (it is now over) was definitely not.

[Yansuf]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

A world where vice crimes no longer exist would be a rather tall order.

 

Take the drug trade for example. Even if the currently illegal drugs were all or mostly legalized, that doesn't guarantee nothing new will hit the streets thereafter...possibly even substances that make PCP and Crystal Meth look like baby aspirin.

 

While I agree with most of your post, the portion on drugs seems to be based on a misperception.

ALL drugs are legal; and "over the counter". You made a new one, fine, it's legal too.

 

BTW, does anyone know when that changed in the US? I know it was in the 20th century.

[Clonus]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

Uh...an android IS organic.s

 

Except when it isn't. Android is actually a pretty vague term. All it means is "artificial and manlike".

[IndianaJoe3]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

Yeah, but each of those cultures were distopias!

The Victory City world (or the United States of the Americas at least) is liberaterian. No books, foods, etc. are banned. Prescriptions are not required to buy drugs. Etc.

 

What makes you think there can't be a libertarian dystopia?

 

I can see organized crime getting into, "contract negotiations" in a big way.

[Yansuf]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

What makes you think there can't be a libertarian dystopia?

 

I can see organized crime getting into, "contract negotiations" in a big way.

 

There can be, but the worlds being described previously obviously were not.

[Vondy]

Re: Organized crime in a world where "vice crimes" don't exist--what do they do?

 

Organized crime is still heavily vested in bootlegging legal items and hijacking luxury items. These things won't go away because drugs, sex, and various other vices become legal. They'll just start finding ways to get around tax labels and to provide unregulated environments for people who can pay. I expect they would also deal in counterfeit products, sweat shops, human trafficking, and various darker fringe elements of the newly legalized vices that remain illegal. Also, organized crime is heavily vested in money laundering and public corruption. Any cash heavy business could be a front for "cleaning dirty laundry" - especially newly legalized vice business. Bars, brothers, strip clubs, restaraunts, casinos. All good fronts. Also, regulated businesses have wonderful profit exploits: diamonds are legal. Conflict diamonds are not. And bootlegging isn't just for booze and cigarettes. Knockoff copies of DVDs are huge black market items (esp. Disney). Also, land and stock frauds, shakedowns, and anything else on the underbelly of the legal world is fair game. I wouldn't doubt they own some collections companies for laundering cash. And don't forget that "hijacking" bit. A vast number of otherwise legal things can be sold for discount in black market circles... even gasoline, chemicles, scrap metal (stolen from work sites?). It doesn't have to be furs, designers shoes, and clothes - though those are good too. Classic rackets are protection and labor unions. But if criminals are operating in areas where Organized Crime has sway they will probably owe a cut: thieves, fences, etc. There are so many ways to make an illegal buck!