This study was undertaken on behalf of the National Institute of Justice between July 2003 and August 2004. Its purpose was to prelimi narily assess the impact of Asian transnational organized crime on the United States while, at the same time, determining highpriority areas for further research and identifying potential collabo rative research partners and sources of relevant data and information in Asia. The aim was thus not to examine the organized crime situation in the region in detail, but rather to lay the foundation for a research agenda that would ultimately accomplish this purpose."