MISSION OF THE CHAIR ON INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME, DRUG TRAFFICKING AND TERRORISM
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AN ENDOWED ACADEMIC CHAIR ON INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME, DRUG TRAFFICKING AND TERRORISM THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK  Organized crime has gone global in our time. It has emerged as the mortal enemy of
democratic institutions worldwide and it infects and distorts world commerce and financial institutions. It has
forged alliances with terrorist organizations and links to outlaw states. It is ruthless and inhuman and has raised
a capital of such gargantuan proportions that these organizations can make themselves masters of governments
through intimidation, violence and corruption.New York has a celebrated tradition of leadership in eradicating organized crime. With the
1957 Apalachin incident, the New York State Police dramatically exposed the existence of La Cosa Nostra to an
unsuspecting world, sparking decades of intense effort to combat the criminal conspiracies that had grown so
pervasive and entrenched. Today, as a result, the traditional Italian-American Mafia is in full retreat.In 1991 the State Police exposed the operations of the Cali Cocaine Cartel when the
culmination of a six-year investigation exposed the far-reaching and sophisticated organization that had been
established in the state by the Colombian organization. It was again the first time that a law enforcement agency
had brought the secretive hierarchy of a major criminal conspiracy out into the light of day -- this time, one based
in a foreign country and with tentacles in many nations.New York State Police alumnus Thomas A. Constantine, made further history when, as head
of the US Drug Enforcement Administration, he oversaw an international effort that led to the surrender of the Cali
Cartel's leaders and the effective break-up of its organization during the mid-nineties. Now a distinguished lecturer
at the State University of New York, Professor Constantine has established himself as a brave and honest voice
calling the world's attention to the growing power and ruthlessness of the Mexican drug trafficking organizations
that have become the chief conduit for illegal drugs into the United States.The Mexican organizations are by no means the only organized crime threat facing the United
States and other nations. Particularly virulent and cosmopolitan are the criminal organizations that have been
flourishing since the Soviet Union dissolved itself. They traffic in drugs, enslaved women and children, refugees,
precious stones and metals, weapons, fissionable nuclear materials and natural resources. They have become
particularly adept at money laundering and fraud of all descriptions. With burgeoning Russian émigré communities
in New York City and elsewhere, their influence has quickly made itself felt in the United States as well as throughout
Western Europe. A Russian connection has also been established with leftist guerrillas in Colombia who are trading
Colombian narcotics for huge shipments of Russian military materiel.With the internationalization of organized crime, the challenge to law enforcement has grown
exponentially. The strategies developed to combat the traditional Mafia provide a strong foundation upon which to
build the capabilities needed to fight it in the international theater. But we must also develop the legal and diplomatic
frameworks within which the law enforcement authorities of many nations may cooperate along with the essential
personal and professional relationships that build trust and unity of purpose and that are the sine qua non
for eventual victory.There is an urgent need for research, policy development, law reform and education to confront
the threat of international organized crime, drug trafficking and terrorism. In an increasingly globalized world, new
opportunities for human advancement emerge every day but so does new vulnerability to these criminal conspiracies.
Since organized criminals, drug traffickers and terrorists seek out countries known to have less effective regulatory and
enforcement systems, any jurisdiction that does not have adequate defenses is at risk of being overwhelmed and may
cause risk to other countries. As perhaps never before, the policies and enforcement capabilities of any one country
have direct consequences globally.As may readily be seen, the problem of international organized criminal conspiracies is growing
and metamorphosing at a frightening rate. It is not a phenomenon for which we have the luxury of copious time to
analyze and study. We are already in mortal confrontation with organizations that threaten peace, prosperity and
public confidence in law enforcement's ability to protect our people, our democratic institutions and our economic
well-being.The Chair on International Organized Crime, Drug Trafficking and Terrorism will provide a focus
for deliberations about the control of these phenomena and for public education about their manifestations. Empirical
study will enhance understanding of the operations of these criminal conspiracies and help to develop strategies for
control and enforcement. The research program will be diverse and will reflect a balance among the issues relating
to legal, operational, social, political, and economic aspects of international organized crime, drug trafficking and
terrorism. The Chair will be committed to advancing knowledge and informing policy on a broad range of issues,
both domestic and international. Our ultimate goal is to be a valuable and practical resource for law enforcement
agencies, prosecutors, governments and the international business community.The Chair will draw on the expertise of leading faculty in Law and related disciplines at the
State University of New York and other institutions of higher and professional learning. It will organize conferences
and symposia that will bring together the best minds among academics, law enforcement professionals, lawmakers,
the diplomatic corps and the business and financial community to develop strategies, tactics, relationships and legal
and diplomatic frameworks for more effective international cooperation in the control of organized crime, drug
trafficking and terrorism.A total endowment of $2.5 million, to be raised from private sources, should be sufficient to
support this initiative in perpetuity. Questions? E-mail Us! CONSTANTINE'S CIRCUS, INC. PO Box 7223 Capitol Station Albany, NY 12224-0223 518-465-4413 518-465-3200 FAX |