ABSTRACT
It is argued that organisational psychology theory and findings can be used in the context of criminal teams, groups and networks, as a guide for how these criminal activities can be weakened and possibly destroyed. Drawing on the many studies of legitimate organisations it is proposed that there are many difficulties inherent in maintaining formal, well–structured criminal organisations. As a consequence most criminal networks are characterised by being fluid and much more anarchic than their non-criminal counterparts. Law enforcement attempts to destabilise these criminal networks should therefore include challenges to the satisfactions and morale of their members as well as taking advantage of the vulnerabilities that organisational analysis will reveal, rather than focusing solely on the identification of apparently significant individuals in the criminal process.
