Organized Crime and Corruption Research Centers in Russia

The Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) will use Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 BJA Solicited Award funds to support the Transnational Terrorism Crime and Corruption Centers (TraCCC) with its project in Russia. The TraCCC Russia project involves drafting legislation and policies that effectively combat the phenomena of organized crime and corruption while promoting a transition to democracy and facilitating basic human rights, democratic governance and freedom of the individual. OPDAT award funds will be used to support personnel costs for TraCCC research staff, foreign travel and contracts.

TraCCC partners with the Centers for Study of Organized Crime and Corruption in Saratov, Chelyabinsk and Vladivostok, which serve as outposts of information on organized crime and corruption in their regions by maintaining detailed websites. The research component of TraCCC's program will continue to assist the U.S. Government and the Government of the Russian Federation to understand and address priority crime issues such as human trafficking, money laundering, corruption, cybercrime, border control and environmental crimes. TraCCC will continue to sponsor summer schools for young scholars, conferences bringing together academicians and policymakers, and small working group sessions for the local law enforcement community.

The TraCCC Russia project has three program goals: 1) equip young and mid-career Russian scholars and practitioners with knowledge to construct effective legislative policy and enforcement mechanisms to combat organized crime and corruption in Russia; 2) enable Russian scholars and academic institutions to play a greater role increasing legislation, policy and enforcement mechanisms; and 3) raise awareness of Russia's organized crime and corruption problems among Russian, U.S. and other foreign legislators, policymakers, law enforcement practitioners and scholars.

NCA/NCF