The Forensic Psychology Podcast Organised Crime | Lucie Homer
Sep 11, 2025
Lucie Homer, a Chartered Forensic Psychologist with 25 years at His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, shares her insights on organized crime. She discusses the challenges in defining serious organized crime and its societal impacts. Lucie delves into criminal identity in prisons, comparing organized crime with gang behavior. She emphasizes the role of personal histories and social identity in rehabilitation. The conversation also touches on the complexities of desistance from crime and the importance of mentorship in promoting pro-social lives.
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What 'Serious' Organised Crime Means
- Serious organised crime is defined by coordinated, planned group activity with wide societal impact rather than a single legal offence.
- The "serious" label highlights scale and harm, not a standalone criminal charge.
Police Mapping And Its Limits
- Police map organised crime groups using intelligence to identify individuals and their positions within networks.
- Identification depends on available data, so many involved people may be underestimated or missed.
Gang Versus Organised Group
- Gangs and organised crime groups overlap, but OCGs tend to be hierarchical and business-like while gangs are more disorganised and violence-focused.
- People often use the terms interchangeably, blurring external distinctions.