Street crime

Street crime is a loose term for any criminal offense in a public place. According to London's Metropolitan Police Force,

Robbery, often called 'mugging', and thefts from victims in the street where their property is snatched and the victim is not assaulted is also considered street crime.

Other examples of street crime include pickpocketing, the open illegal drugs trade, prostitution in the form of soliciting outside the law, the creation of graffiti and vandalism of public property, and assaults. As a generic term, street crime may include all of these, as well as offenses against private properties such as the stealing of hub caps.

The majority of street crimes, as portrayed by various news media, are initiated by criminals seeking quick financial gains. However, they can also be carried out by organized individuals with a common goal of profiteering. On the other hand, not all of these instances are considered by the FBI to be "organized crimes" due to the random nature of the crimes themselves.^[1] The term "organized crime" does not often include organized street crimes.^[2]

An organized crime^[3] is often a major business, consisting of many individuals associated for the common goal of criminal profiteering. In contrast, street crimes are normally conducted by hastily and loosely formed groups of individuals with the common goal of gaining illicit money through immediate criminal acts.

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