In the face of this worldwide economic downturn, there is one industry that is prospering rather than downsizing. Unfortunately, that industry is organized crime. The serious recession that is being felt within US borders is taking effect across the world, up to 50 million people potentially losing their jobs by the end of this year. As Michael Klare points out, 
Unfortunately, and ironically, as global trading and other aspects of economic globalization are breaking down, crime may be globalizing. From the increased criminal in Mexican drug cartels to piracy, the economic downturn is throwing everyone into a panic and causing people to have to resort to all kinds of methods to make, or at least come up with, money. Piracy in particular has been an issue, what with the Somalian pirates invading American ships. While all that we see is the piracy and its effect on "us, what we don't realize is the motivation behind these crimes. This is not to say that we should justify piracy, but this, too, is a result of the global economy crash. Current daily life in Somalia is rife with "Warlords and militias terrorizing villages. No functioning government, courts or police. Drought and hunger afflicting half the country."
"From Mexico to Africa, Russia to China, the pool of the desperate and the bribable is expanding exponentially, pointing to a sharp upturn in global crime. As illicit profits rise, so will violence in the turf wars among competing crime syndicates and in the desperate efforts by panicked governments to put a clamp on criminal activity." http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/04/07/crime_wave/print.html
Unfortunately, and ironically, as global trading and other aspects of economic globalization are breaking down, crime may be globalizing. From the increased criminal in Mexican drug cartels to piracy, the economic downturn is throwing everyone into a panic and causing people to have to resort to all kinds of methods to make, or at least come up with, money. Piracy in particular has been an issue, what with the Somalian pirates invading American ships. While all that we see is the piracy and its effect on "us, what we don't realize is the motivation behind these crimes. This is not to say that we should justify piracy, but this, too, is a result of the global economy crash. Current daily life in Somalia is rife with "Warlords and militias terrorizing villages. No functioning government, courts or police. Drought and hunger afflicting half the country." The spike in piracy incidents recently is rooted in poverty and desperation. They must be stopped and the criminals prosecuted, but we also must take steps to eliminate the need for such actions. According to Dawn Elizabeth Blalock, a U.N. spokeswoman, attempts to alleviate poverty, which could reduce the need for Somalis to turn to crime, have fallen short. The U.N. World Food Program put out a $900 million appeal for aid to Somalia this year. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-04-08-pirateinside_N.htm
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/04/07/crime_wave/print.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-04-08-pirateinside_N.htm
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