Book Review: Albanese, J. S. (Ed.). (2007). Intellectual Property Theft and Fraud: Combating Piracy. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. xvi pp., 180 pp

• Author: Haiyan Liu
• DOI: 10.1177/1057567708319403
• Date: 01 June 2008
• Published date: 01 June 2008
• Subject Matter: Articles

Allen’s book is an interesting one, with its best contribution being the thorough characterization

of the South American production processes and the historical, cultural, and physical attributes that

have led to this region emerging as ground zero of cocaine supply. Although Allen does not break

significant new ground, in my view, his work is a good synopsis and collection of disparate sources

of information. For those who want more information, there are a number of more thorough ethno-

graphies of coca production. His description of the U.S. cocaine market is not likely to be of inter-

est to anyone who has paid attention to cocaine use in America. It is too simplistic. His attacks on

the cocaine-control policies of the U.S. government, which he recognizes as largely failed, are not

particularly original but they do coincide with what most critics have had to say about our conduct

of antidrug foreign policy. He ends with some forecasting and there are some interesting issues Allen

identifies that are worth pondering. Given the United States’heightened concern with secure borders

in the post-9/11 world, what impact will this have on DTOs—especially those that have specialized

in trans-shipment services? What will happen, internally, in the United States as the emergence of

new regionally situated DTOs take control of the retail trade? Will the emerging eastern European

countries and former Soviet republics become markets of significance for cocaine? Will high-purity

heroin, readily grown and processed in Colombia, make a comeback as a smokable drug and begin

to displace coca as an economic engine? And, what will be the consequences of the rise of anti-

American regimes like Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, the Movement for Socialism (Movimiento al

Socialismo) in Bolivia, and similar political currents now running in Northern Latin America?

Overall, I would rate An Industrial Geography of Cocaine as a worthwhile read. To those already

well versed in organized drug trafficking, it will not bring to light any new information, but it has

some interesting historical information and can be read as an interesting synopsis. I certainly see it

as a useful read in a seminar for students who are coming for the first time to consider the crimi-

nology of drug trafficking. Allen is straightforward in his presentation of materials and open and

direct in his criticisms of policy.

Tom Mieczkowski

University of South Florida

Albanese, J. S. (Ed.). (2007). Intellectual Property Theft and Fraud: Combating Piracy.

New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers. xvi pp., 180 pp.

DOI: 10.1177/1057567708319403

Intellectual property is becoming one of the most valuable and powerful assets in the increasingly

privatized global economy. Technological advances make products that contain intellectual property

much easier to imitate, replicate, market, and distribute at a global level. Piracy and counterfeiting

are escalating into pervasive problems involving practically anything from music, movies, outfits,

shoes, toys, cigarettes, and alcohol to much more sophisticated products such as automobile parts

and medicines.

Edited by Jay Albanese, the book Intellectual Property Theft and Fraud is the first book in the

field of criminology that specifically addresses the issue of intellectual property theft. It offers a fas-

cinating combination of pieces written by a diverse group of researchers approaching the subject

from various perspectives. It introduces to the reader definitions, impacts, boundary elements, and

criminological causes of the problem. The text explores the relationship of intellectual property theft

to fraud, organized crime, white-collar crime, and globalization. It also provides numerous policy rec-

ommendations for tackling the problem from the perspective of government agencies.

244 International Criminal Justice Review