https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/140899 2026-09-28T22:14:03Z 2026-09-28T22:14:03Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149324 2026-09-23T09:37:54Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The role of corporate service providers in facilitating money laundering : an analysis of the Mossack Fonseca & Danske bank cases Abstract: This dissertation examines the role of Corporate Service Providers (CSPs) in facilitating and preventing money laundering, with particular reference to the Mossack Fonseca (Panama Papers) and Danske Bank Cases. It explores how corporate structures, intermediaries, and weaknesses in anti-money laundering (AML) frameworks can be exploited to conceal beneficial ownership and enable illicit financial flows. Using a qualitative research design based on documentary analysis and case study methodology, the study draws on regulatory reports, academic literature, and investigative sources. The research finds that CSPs play a critical gatekeeping role within the financial system; however, deficiencies in customer due diligence, beneficial ownership verification, and regulatory oversight can significantly increase vulnerability to financial crime. The analysis demonstrates that while international AML frameworks established by bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the European Union provide strong regulatory foundations, implementation gaps remain, particularly in relation to cross-border enforcement and supervision of non-financial intermediaries. The findings highlight that money laundering is a systemic issue involving both financial institutions and CSPs, rather than isolated misconduct. Overall, the dissertation concludes that stronger transparency requirements, enhanced supervision of CSPs, and improved coordination between regulators are essential to reduce the misuse of corporate structures in global financial crime. Description: B.A. (Hons) Criminology(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149321 2026-09-23T09:31:10Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The role of family dynamics in potentially shaping delinquent behaviour : public attitudes perspective Abstract: This dissertation explores the role of family dynamics in potentially shaping delinquent behaviour from a public perspective. The study examines key familial factors, including parenting styles, parental supervision, parent-child relationships, emotional neglect, and family environment, in order to understand how these factors are perceived in relation to youth delinquency. The research is grounded in the assumption that family experiences and home environments play a significant role in behavioural development during adolescence. This research employed a quantitative design using an online questionnaire distributed through social media platforms. Data was analysed and organised into six key themes relating to family influence and behavioural development. The main findings of this study demonstrate a strong perception among respondents that family dynamics significantly influence adolescent delinquent behaviour. Negative family environments, poor parental supervision, emotional neglect, family conflict, and exposure to aggressive or rule-breaking behaviour were widely perceived as increasing the likelihood of delinquency. In contrast, positive parent-child relationships, effective communication, and consistent supervision were viewed as protective factors that may reduce involvement in delinquent activities. The results reinforce the importance of parental involvement, emotional support, and healthy parenting practices. Moreover, the recommendations propose the need for greater awareness, early intervention, and family-focused support strategies to reduce the risk of adolescent delinquency. Description: B.A. (Hons) Criminology(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149320 2026-09-23T09:26:31Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Risk factors contributing to career criminals Abstract: This research study explores the risk factors that contribute to the development of career criminality, with a particular focus on how psychological, behavioural, and sociological influences interact across the life course to sustain persistent offending. The study additionally examines the role of protective factors and considers the extent to which structural conditions shape both the emergence of criminal careers and the capacity for desistance. Motivated by the recognition that existing literature tends to examine risk factors in isolation and through predominantly individualised frameworks, this research sought to offer a more contextually grounded understanding of persistent offending, with specific reference to the Maltese context. A qualitative approach, involving semi-structured interviews, was adopted with five academic professionals specialising in criminology, criminal justice, psychology, and sociology at the University of Malta. This method enabled the collection of detailed, expert-informed insights into the complex factors underlying criminal trajectories, which would have been difficult to fully capture through quantitative methods alone. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring patterns across the data. The findings demonstrate that criminal behaviour cannot be attributed to a single cause but rather emerges from the cumulative interaction of multiple, interrelated risk factors. Early-life adversity, behavioural difficulties, and socio-structural disadvantage were consistently identified as significant contributors to persistent offending. Notably, the study found that community ties, while generally regarded as protective, may in certain contexts inadvertently normalise deviant behaviour and increase the likelihood of reoffending. The findings further illustrate that protective factors are contingent upon broader structural conditions, and that without adequate housing, employment, and reintegration support, individual-level interventions remain insufficient. It is therefore recommended that policy responses shift away from individualised explanations of crime and toward approaches that address the social and institutional barriers which sustain criminal trajectories, such as stigma, exclusion from employment, financial instability, and difficulties accessing opportunities following incarceration, ensuring that regulatory and support frameworks are adequately resourced to facilitate meaningful and lasting desistance. Description: B.A. (Hons) Criminology(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/149319 2026-09-23T08:35:26Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: How corruption facilitates organised crime : a comparative analysis Abstract: Corruption is not just a series of crimes, it is systemic, adaptable, and supported by networks of power, privilege, and secrecy, making it a core ingredient for organised criminal activity (Transparency International, 2025). The objective of this dissertation is to investigate ways in which corruption contributes to the growth and sustainability of organised crime, to better understand why agencies struggle with enforcing and deterring organised criminal activity. It identifies key themes in the literature, including the corruption and organised crime nexus, the main mechanisms of corruption enabling criminal networks, and the consequences and policy implications. These themes are reflected in the findings and conclusion, attesting that corruption operates as a key mechanism that enables organised crime by adapting to specific institutional environments. A qualitative comparative case study approach was used, based only on secondary data, focusing on the Sinaloa Cartel, the ‘Ndrangheta Mafia, and the Malta Fuel Smuggling case. This dissertation therefore addresses a gap found in comparative research, which often focuses on single case studies or larger regions. The analysis concludes that corruption, particularly political, law enforcement, judicial, and financial corruption plays a central role in enabling organised crime, allowing these networks to operate, evade enforcement, and expand. However, differences are noted depending on the strength of the state’s institutions and enforcement capabilities. Overall this dissertation highlights the need for clearer legal legislations that adopt context specific approaches, addressing both organised crime networks and the corruption that enables them. Description: B.A. (Hons) Criminology(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z