Organized Crime Families: Organized crime is the widespread criminal activities, such as prostitution, interstate theft, or illegal gambling, that occurs within a centrally controlled formal structure. The structure is called organized crime families, gangs or mobs, they are the people and the groups involved in criminal activities and are sometimes called underworld organizations. Their criminal activities are international with members and affiliates in Canada, South America, Australia, and parts of Europe. They are also known to collaborate with other international organized crime groups from all over the world, especially in drug trafficking. The major threats to American society posed by these groups are drug trafficking and money laundering. These groups don’t limit themselves to drug running, though. They’re also involved in illegal gambling, political corruption, extortion, kidnapping, fraud, counterfeiting, and infiltration of legitimate businesses, murders, bombings, and weapons trafficking. These groups are highly organized and everything is built upon structure. The structure of these groups are very complex but easy to understand throughout the remainder of the paper each level of the structure will be described and each position will be explained.
The lowest on the scale is the Associates; they have the least amount of power within the group. They do the real dirty work. Associates are not made guys; they just hang around with the crew. They often are willing to do anything to get advanced within the group, and therefore handle a many of hits.

http://www.mafiasite.8m.com/structure.htm
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/organizedcrime/italian_mafia