Law enforcement usually utilizes informants in organized crime cases to successfully arrest and convict leaders in the ugly industry using confidential approaches. Not all cases end up nicely as some lead to complications, such as the case of Whitey Bulger, who operated as an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The Bulger case illuminates the pros and cons of utilizing confidential informants to investigate and prosecute culprits within organized crime.
The Whitey Bulger case magnifies the complications between an informant and law enforcement following the use of confidential informants in crucial investigations, which conceptualizes the pros and cons of using such individuals. Informants, also known as justice collaborators or cooperating witnesses, mostly cooperate with law enforcement officers to earn reduced charges, sentences, or immunity from prosecution (Aguinis & Solarino, 2019). The judicial system determines which incentive to offer informants to motivate them into providing vital information that helps in the investigation processes, especially for organized crime. The provided information may endanger their wellbeing, which explains the need to protect an informant who, in most cases, prefer to remain anonymous for their security. Whitney Bugler, leader of the Winter Hill Gang, was an informant for the FBI; however, his relationship with law enforcement got complicated, leading to FBI agent John Connolly's conviction for murder and racketeering (Abadinsky, 2016). Bugler's case magnifies the pros and cons of an informant. Some benefits include reducing the time of running investigations and a win-win for reducing crime. On the other hand, some disadvantages include credibility issues such as during trial. Therefore, the pros and cons of a confidential informant highly depend on the individual and provided information.
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Informants motivated by reduced sentences require protection as they provide vital information that endangers their lives. The Bugler case, who was an informant for the FBI, magnifies the pros (like reduced time wastage) and cons (such as credibility issues) of utilizing confidential informants for investigations leading to culprits' prosecution within organized crime.
References
Abadinsky, H. (2016). “Organized Crime.” CENGAGE , pp. 511-634.
Aguinis, H., & Solarino, A. M. (2019). Transparency and replicability in qualitative research: The case of interviews with elite informants. Strategic Management Journal , 40 (8), 1291-1315.
