Criminal Underworld Professionals

Taylor Harbin

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My current WIP involves a few characters who get paid to do illegal stuff. Since the book features technology that hasn't been invented yet, there's no current comparison. But they network. Some do it for ideology (fight the power), some just for money. I need to know how such people get started and build up their reputation, and forge connections. I need to know everything possible, like how they manage their business, how they make friends who can protect them from the law, how they arrange to do a job, how they keep everything secret, etc.
 

cornflake

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Depends on who you're talking about, really, what level, what type.

Some people, like mobsters, may be sort of, or literally, born into the business (if not literally, then they know people in the neighbourhood and start doing stuff, even non-criminal low-level, 'working for' stuff as kids, and grow up in the organization. That doesn't have to be the actual mafia; it can be true for drug dealers too. Some kids start running errands or being little lookouts for older siblings or cousins or neighbours in project housing at like 9 or 10 and get more responsibilities as they get older.

Some people learn stuff and network in jail or prison -- this is very common, and where a lot of your lower-level stuff comes from.

People who, say, want to hire someone to off their ex, who aren't criminals themselves, don't end up hiring good assassins, because they don't know people at that level of criminal enterprise, or know anyone who does. They do, however, like, go to a bar, or talk to a guy they know who does construction who once did a little time for stealing a car, who knows a guy from jail who... etc. That's where most of your criminal networking takes place.

Friends who can protect them from the law depends -- most people of the just above type don't really. They might know a beat cop or two who's on the take, who might look the other way if a shipment of TVs is jacked, as long as the cop goes home with a TV, but they're not like, a mafia bigwig or an international jewel thief who has actual lawyers and such at their disposal and may have higher-level contacts. The general population of criminals don't get out of trouble that often; they;re in and out of jail and prison a lot, and that's how they learn and hone their skills and network. Higher-end people tend to be pickier, and get caught less often because they take fewer risks, because they can afford to. Hence it depends on what you're talking about.
 

Taylor Harbin

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I'm mainly talking about low-level dudes, not some grand mafia syndicate. I do like the siblings idea.
 

neandermagnon

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I wouldn't find it plausible that someone would just decide to do this, like their career choice, then go about actively building up connections the way someone starting a legit business would. That would come across like "middle class kid from nice neighbourhood decides to write about criminal underworld with no personal experience whatsoever". Probably that's not quite how you meant it?

Even if someone didn't grow up surrounded by criminals, the various criminal networks already exist so it would be more a case of fitting yourself into the existing network. People are usually going to know that certain people in their neighbourhood/down the pub/wherever are dodgy, especially if they live somewhere with higher crime rates (but that doesn't mean crime doesn't exist in picturesque weathly villages too). If someone's attracted to the whole criminality, dodgy reputation kind of thing then it's not that hard to find the "right" people to make friends with.

The networks already exist and it starts by knowing one dodgy person, doing favours for this dodgy person like covering up for them or helping them launder money and then it gets bigger from there. In fact people can get suckered into doing these things without knowing of the criminality behind what they're doing*. "Can you put this money in your bank account for a couple of days? You can keep some of it as you're doing me a favour," or "I need to store some things at your house, but don't tell anyone, okay?" or "can you tell the cops I was with you last night? Only there was this burglary and I got done for burglary before and I was out on the piss last night and the police always pick on me because I've got a record" kind of thing. Criminals target naive people* or petty criminals for these kinds of "favours". If your characters are the kind of people who would do those favours in full knowledge of what's going on and be relied upon to keep quiet about it then they're probably going to end up deeper in the network doing bigger and bigger crimes, or more lucrative favours (depending on how savvy they are).

*or at least they claim, later in court, that they had no idea what was going on


All of that said... I'm not a criminal or a cop and I think maybe things like ex criminals' memoirs or the police could have a lot more detailed information and experience that could answer your questions.
 

M Louise

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Gang initiations in juvenile detention centres and prisons are part of an old subculture in the Cape. This kind of recruitment and initiation, followed by promotion and, after release, extension into crime syndicates on the 'outside' is also found in Russia and Asia. Gangs operate in communities and there are often strong family links but a key predisposing factor is the attraction to crime. The code of loyalty is absolute and networks of spies, foot soldiers, trained killers, robbers, enforcers and 'warlords' or leaders are widespread and intergenerational.

Many gangs are run from within prisons with the help of wardens and guards. Money laundering is diverse, with property bought and businesses opened as legal sources of revenue and investment while the drug dealing, sex trafficking and illicit trade in weapons, imported cigarettes, diamonds etc goes on behind the scenes. Grassroots and disadvantaged working-class communities as a base, but leading to a highly sophisticated operation with links to the Russian mafia, Chinese triads, Asian street gangs and other international crime syndicates.
 
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Taylor Harbin

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I guess my idea of a "career criminal" has been tainted by Hollywood, films like "Heat" and "John Wick." Maybe being more specific would help. My WIP features brain implants that can erase memories, and as some people don't think this natural or in keeping with their rights, they'll go to people to get them disabled or tampered in some other way. There's also people who allow clients to type up their memories so they can re-learn them later, for a fee.
 

jclarkdawe

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What do you mean by a "career criminal?" Let me say that pimps and hookers have little to do with someone who boosts cars. Drug dealers aren't into violent crime, while bookies can use violence as part of their enforcement. Career paths are very different and very different skill sets are required.

I know a guy who is doing life on the installment plan (short sentences that add up to spending most of his life behind bars) for domestic violence. He gets out, falls in love, she makes a mistake, and he beats the shit out of her. Most people would classify him as a career criminal, but I doubt that's what you're looking for.

Breaking into a house and breaking into a car are two different skill sets, and you need different contacts. But even more, boosting high level merchandise and cars involve special skills. I know a guy who boosts no car under $100k. He'll have it loaded in a shielded container and on its way out of the country within 24 hours. He's never been in for longer than it takes to make bail. Markedly different than the guys who try boosting bait cars (watch the show to see how easy it is to steal a car, although not to get away).

Learning skills is very simple. Find someone who has the skill and learn from them. If you've got the right type of personality, it's easy to find the people involved. Most druggies I know can find a dealer in a new town in less than five hours.

You might want to take a look at THE STAINLESS STEEL RAT series. I think that might be close to what you're looking for.

Jim Clark-Dawe
 

King Neptune

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If you are dealing with professional computer hackers, then look for information on Russian hackers. There are companies that claim to be security companies that will hack a company, and then send evidence that they stole and an offer to not do it again for some amount of money.
 

ironmikezero

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If you'd care to see an example of what real world LE considered a career criminal, google: BERNARD WELCH Burglar, a man who never held a traditional job in his life, unless it was to further his criminal endeavors.