Wim Huisman

Municipalities and the fight against organized crime: Municipalities play an increasingly important role in the fight against organized crime. Following Italian and New York examples, the Netherlands have developed several instruments for an administrative approach to organized crime. This article describes these instruments on a local and a national level and discusses its theoretical foundations. A critical assessment is made on the reach of this administrative approach considering the perception and nature of organized crime in the Netherlands. Further, methods for assessing the effectiveness of such an approach are discussed. Has organized crime successfully been targeted and how could this be established?

Recently, in The Netherlands, two businessmen have been prosecuted for their involvement in the commission of international crimes. In this article, the cases are analysed in the broader context of corporate complicity in international crimes. We enquire as to which extent these cases are typical for addressing corporate complicity and what lessons can be drawn from them. The cases illustrate the empirical variety of corporate complicity in international crimes. Furthermore, they indicate that investigating corporate complicity and connecting business entities to international crimes is rather difficult. Questions are raised as to the intended deterrent effect of such prosecutions.