What is the difference between federal and state racketeering laws?

The difference between federal and state racketeering laws lies in the severity of the punishments, the scope of the criminal acts, and the types of organizations which are targeted by the laws. Generally speaking, federal racketeering laws are more severe, with harsher penalties and more expansive definitions of criminal activity. At the federal level, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act of 1970 is the major law regarding racketeering. This law applies to enterprise crimes, such as bribery, extortion, and fraud, which are committed by organizations or individuals. These organizations could include businesses, cartels, unions, and even politicians. Punishments for violating the federal RICO Act range from civil fines to imprisonment for as long as 20 years. At the state level, the laws regarding racketeering vary. In North Dakota, racketeering is addressed through the North Dakota Century Code. This code criminalizes six categories of offenses, including organized crime, conspiracy, and use of deceptive trade practices. Punishments for violating the North Dakota racketeering laws range from fines and probation to imprisonment of up to twenty years. Overall, the federal racketeering laws are more expansive and carry harsher punishments than those of North Dakota. The federal RICO Act applies to a wide range of organizations, and punishes those who are found guilty of enterprise crimes more severely. Meanwhile, North Dakota has more targeted racketeering laws which are limited by the six categories of offenses listed in the North Dakota Century Code.

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What is the difference between federal and state racketeering laws?

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