Scientific Journal of the National Academy of Internal Affairs

This article describes features of the organization and hierarchical structure of ethnic organized crime groups. Ethnic characteristics of organized criminal groups are highlighted in particular, they include intra-group relations, support for national customs and traditions (fashion, relationships between older and younger family structure). It is general characteristic of representatives of the peoples who still have strong elements or preserved tribal relations. Ethnic criminal groups operating in the same area tend to unite, creating conditions for the formation of ethnic criminal organizations. The research of structural construction and criminal specialization of criminal groups organized along ethnic lines indicates that their construction depends on the ethnic leader, indicating the difference methods conspiracy within criminal groups. In addition, the author focuses on the internal and external signs of stability (in the presence of the hierarchical structure and purpose of committing grave and especially grave crimes), which is the basis to talk about the creation of a criminal organization, the persons who occupy leading positions in it determine ethnicity forming. The assignment of an organized group or criminal organization is not defined by ethnic homogeneity of the national structure, it can be mixed. When dynamic development of information and communication technologies is carried out, an «ethnic» organized criminal group develops rapidly. This has led to the emergence of new types of crime relating, in particular, to illegal interference with the operation of communication systems and computer networks. Thus, ethnic groups and organized criminal organizations – organized crime formations, have formed national (ethnic) lines that unite people of one or several nationalities (ethnic formations). This article deals with the psychological characteristics of Romani people, who are united in ethnic criminal groups and engaged in criminal activity, and some of their psychological characteristics are distinguished.