...Europe. Our society is convinced that the so-called Mafia is a family of pure criminals, pimps, and murderers. Whatever the opinion, there is no doubt that the Mafia played a big part in the history of America and the way Americans view crime today. “The origins of the secret society known as the Mafia are believed to be as old as the 9th century” (Mafia History). During the 9th century, the Mafia’s main purpose was to strengthen themselves against enemies, which invaded their homeland in Sicily. It was supposed to create a strong feeling of togetherness between all Sicilians. “This idea of family was carried through in the structure of the organization, which had a strong hierarchical layout” (Mafia History). The Mafia is said by many to have perhaps the best system of power, than any other group or government known today. One can compare a physical representation of the family almost to a family tree dated all the way back through many generations. Certain people operated the system, but without the help of the people with the less power, the Mafia would be very weak. To put it another way, a leader cannot lead without followers, and the followers cannot follow without leaders. This is why the Mafia was hard to overcome. Although when many think of the location of the Mafia, Chicago and New York often come to mind, but actually the Mafia has been traced back through 26 major cites in America. Within every city were many Mafia families each with it’s own government. “At the...
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...Organized Crime Group Analysis CJA/384-Organized Crime September 09, 2012 University of Phoenix Organized Crime Group Analysis Team Summary Clotilda: The article I read was about a modern day mafia getting captured, and exposed by law enforcement. The Mafia had committed many crimes including Gambling, Drug Dealing, Extortion, Murder, and Union corruption. The article also talked about early mafias, and original gangsters that made themselves most wanted criminals from under the names of their mafias. It addresses many criminal names like “Martin Angelina”, “John Gotti”, and “Joe Merlino”. But that’s beside the point; this article focuses on the Genovese Family, from Newark, New Jersey and their control over the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). They compare this mafia’s legacy to the 1954 film classic “On the Waterfront”; they also tell us that individuals state that the Genovese Organization has been in the “nearly three-decades-long extortion of post workers”. The mobs point man was Steven “Beach” Depiro, he was 55 and a very reputed solider. The Mob members had to kick back their Christmas bonuses just for the organization to work. Even Union Leaders were charged in the 53 count indictment, the indictment also listed the salaries of 7 of the ILA members, their salaries ranged from $230,512 to $532,719. Many things have changed over time since Marlon Brando’s Terry Malloy went and stood up against of the corrupt union bosses in “On the Waterfront”...
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...John Joseph Gotti, whom would be later nicknamed “Teflon Don” and “Dapper Don,” was born on October 27, 1940 in the Bronx, New York. Who would have thought on that cold and blustery day that the baby boy, son of a construction worker and one of six boys, would someday be considered by both the Mafia and prosecutors alike, to be the most important “godfather” in American crime through the 1990s? The “boss of bosses” so to speak. John Gotti’s parents were both poor Italian immigrants, whose only income was from his father’s laborious and unpredictable position as a construction worker. They had 13 children, of which John was the fifth. The whole family moved often and finally settled in East New York. At that time (late 40s) East New York was known for its youth gang activity. The area supported thriving Mafia activities and was a breeding ground for Mob hit squads. It was also the former stomping grounds of gangster’s such as Bugsy Siegell. At about age 12, Gotti became an errand boy for a sketchy neighborhood club ran by Carmina Fatico, who was a captain in the Gambino family. The Gambino family was the biggest of the five Mafia families in New York City. During Gotti’s activities running errands for the club, he met his life-long mentor, Aniello Dellacroce. At this same time he joined a gang called the Fulton-Rockaway Boys. This youth gang was infamous for their carjacking’s and robberies. Once, when Gotti, age 14, was trying to steal a cement mixer for the gang, his toes...
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...Mafia What is the Mafia? Some believe the word Mafia was the battle cry of an Italian rebellious group- this battle of cry was the following: "Morte all Francia Italia anelia!" (Italian for "death to the French is Italy's cry!"). Others defined the Mafia as, name for loose association of criminal groups, sometimes bound by blood oath and sworn to secrecy. Despite both of these definitions the Mafia has evolved into a very complex and organized society of crime. Present time it doesn't represent Italian gangs, it also includes Russian, Japanese and Chinese gangs just to mention a few. The purpose of this work is to describe some of the aspects of the Mafia. the reason of naming Mafia in this way was that a member of this group who was riding a motorcyle snatched a carried daughter from a woman kidnapping her; however, such a woman hurried following him crying “Ma figlia! Ma figlia! “ which means in English "My daughter! My daughter!" many believe that the Mafia was born in order to protect and help the less fortunate. The methods used to help and protect were, and still remain illegal. Today, the organization still continues to practice these acts or "rituals." The difference between early Mafia and modern Mafia, is that during late 1800's to early 1900's, the Mafia used these illicit crimes to help their families and the noble good less fortunate, now they abuse their power and distribute the "dirty money" in abundance amongst themselves. In order for an individual...
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...The Mafia/Mob Influenced American Society as we Know it Today. Since I was a kid I had an interest in the mafia. This interest may have stemmed from watching the Godfather movies with my father growing up. As we all know, this way of life is a violent lifestyle not conducive to a long and prosperous life but television and movies glorified it to an extent. Through countless hours of reading and research I got more of an understanding of how they came about and why but what I really wanted to know it what kind of influence did they have on the American society? Thesis Prohibition of the 1920s introduced the maturation of the American mafia. The religious left and established political groups influenced and created the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution which made it illegal to produce, sell, transport, and import alcohol. If prohibition influenced the creation of the Mafia what did the Mafia influence and how did it affect American Society? Preview of Main Points I was able to find several areas where the Mafia was able to influence American society as we know it today but; I will only touch on three of them. The music we listen to today was greatly affected by the popularity of jazz being performed in the underground night clubs which were owned and operated by the Mafia. Las Vegas, or “Sin City”, wouldn’t be the city it is today without the funding and early management provided by the Mafia. Finally, crime scene investigation or forensic analysis...
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...believe that the Italian Mafia is closely related to the rational response. The most important market of the Mafia’s businesses is said to be unsecure transactions which violates trust. The Mafia acts as insurers, where they find potential sellers and buyers. Different individuals would come to them with things they need to sell or looking for things to buy and that way they would be able to start a market, plus make a commission. The Mafia has been known to be dependable because of their history and the images that they portray; after all they do have a business to uphold. To maintain their reputation everything has to be on the up and up within the organization, say for instance a sale goes sour and one party isn’t satisfied this could cause problems for the Mafioso’s implicated in the situation, and they may have to undergo consequences. These people will not just provide protection to private business transactions they protect anyone in need, such as individuals and businesses. They provide services in place where the crime rates are high, like Sicily and the United States. Once the Mafia has sold their protection to an individual or a business, they provide insurance to their customers. Making sure that if anything is stolen or damaged that it will be covered, plus they will try to retrieve it or at the least find out who is responsible and the one responsible will be held accountable for their actions; but that is unlikely because everyone knows the Mafia’ s property. Everyone...
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...family, and the hierocracy of politics in America. Being the first film that brought the real-life Cosa Nostra and Mafia to reality on the screen; it gave the public and viewers a new awareness and insight into the life of gangsters through the lens of organized crime. The term “Mafia” meaning Cosa Nostra or “our thing” was brought to the U.S with the migration of many Italians from Sicily in 1914. Many Italians turned to the Mafia life as a way of functioning as an alternate to the state, with its own “rights, treaties, and problems” (History.com).I believe that the film The Godfather is an amazing film in history because behind its gangster plot, is a classic story of an American family tracing its journey from immigration and poverty to assimilation and success. In filming the movie The Godfather, America and all the people were experiencing a time of turmoil and change. Accurately depicting the Sicilian-American experience of migration to America, speaks to many others who can relate to the immigration communities everywhere. A main quote used throughout this film is “its business, not personal” (Bruno) Used multiple times, the meaning of why it’s used is simply stated: “They do this in part to hide from the public the violent reality of what they do” (Bruno). The business that Don “Vito” and his son Michael are wrapped in is, the life of the “mafia”. Dealing with drugs from a rival family is the least they want to do, so Don struggles with leaving his old ways and...
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...and 1992, 23 bosses from around the country were convicted under the law while between 1981 and 1988, 13 underbosses and 43 captains were convicted.[22] While this significantly crippled many Mafia families around the country, the most powerful families continued to dominate crime in their territories, even if the new laws put more mobsters in jail and made it harder to operate. With Sammy Gravano agreeing to cooperate with the FBI and turn state's evidence in 1991, he helped the FBI convict top Mafia leaders in New York. Although not the first Mafia member to testify against his peers, such a powerful mobster agreeing to do so set a precedent for waves of mobsters thereafter to break the code of silence to do the same; giving up information and testifying in exchange for immunity from prosecution for their crimes.[12][26] Aside from avoiding long prison stretches, the FBI could put mobsters in the United States Federal Witness Protection Program, changing their identities and supporting them financially for life. This led to dozens of mobsters testifying and providing information during the 1990s, which led to the imprisonment of hundreds of mobsters. As a result, the Mafia has seen a major decline in its power and influence in organized crime since the 1990s. In the 21st century, the Mafia has continued to be involved in a broad...
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...society on physical appearance. From our television to our magazines, physical appearance pervades our entire society. Being young and attractive is what lures people to a venue. In a casino you are trying to recreate the sex/drug/alcohol and gambling environment that Atlantic city and Vegas. These values have been in place since the 50’s when Las Vegas and gambling got popular. They were in place when there were true burlesque shows in Vegas. The current obsession with thinness and attractiveness for the Borgata is tied to the experience. Borgata is defined as organized branch of the Mafia (Dictionaries, 2014). So since the mafia has had a long history with organized crime and gambling it comes as a shock that this is actually legal. This is value that this organization is striving to recreate. With the sex and sin, I am much more inclined to believe they are trying to recreate the Mafia feel. Unfortunately this policy is not only legal but encouraged by some employers. The only state in the United States that protects against this is Michigan. In a recent article published by the Huffington Post stated that “[The Borgata Babes decision was] a horrible ruling,” Michigan-based disability rights attorney Richard Bernstein told Time. “You have to look at the far-reaching applications of it. You always have to look at a decision with a broad brush. That decision gives employers a tremendous power over people in the workplace.” This power is to enforce that value of sex sells...
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...places, and events which might give good reason to hire more people. The development of special situations, unusual or uncertain conditions, might create more crime. The increase of which crime in turn might rationalize those in charge of a region or operation, to handle the increase of the prospect of crime by making more appointments. In recognizing those realities persons in government can ordinarily have good reason to hire more people. It also assumes the existence of judgments which themselves have no basis on a recognized religious belief. Sociological Concept In short, the previous interpretation of the hypothesis cannot be taken as single, limited, or fully legitimate . Certainly the historical example which developed of the mafia criminal organization centuries ago on the island of Sicily in the country of Italy provides example of how the development of crime led directly to the creation of more jobs. As threats to the common objectives of the general Italian government were forced to employ more males to gain control of garbage areas...
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...It is no secret that organized crime in America takes in over forty billion dollars a year. This is quite a profitable sum, especially when one considers that the Mafia spends very little for office supplies. Reliable sources indicate that the Cosa Nostra laid out no more than six thousand dollars last year for personalized stationery, and even less for staples. Futhermore, they have one secretary who does all the typing, and only three small rooms for headquarters, which they share with the Fred Persky Dance Studio. Last year, organized crime was directly responsible for more than one hundred murders, and mafiosi participated indirectly in several hundred more, either by lending the killers carfare or by holding their coats. Other illicit activities engaged in by Cosa Nostra members included gambling, narcotics, prostitution, hijacking, loansharking, and the transportation of a large whitefish across the state line for immoral purposes. The tentacles of this corrupt empire even reach into the government itself. Only a few months ago, two gang lords under federal indictment spent the night at the White House, and the President slept on the sofa. HISTORY OF ORGANIZED CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES In 1921, Thomas (The Butcher) Covello and Ciro (The Tailor) Santucci attempted to organize disparate ethnic groups of the underworld and thus take over Chicago. This was foiled when Albert (The Logical Positivist) Corillo assassinated Kid Lipsky by locking him in a closet and...
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...HST 201 003 Writing assignment + Amreica th e land of the free the brave and the corrupt Use 10 chapters (episodes) to describe the use of technology in the FBI. [10 pages] 2. Use 10 chapters (episod Throughout history the federal beeeeee life using technological advances. Although some people believe that modern technology influences our everyday communication, transportation and media by making life convenient , Others believe that technology can lead to a life of greed , disparity and corruption. The unitsd state governments spends x amount a year on technology . the question is does this teccnology make life more assescible. IN Ron Kess;ers the secrets of the fbi the fedral bearu of intelligence sector called tack opps uses tecnoloy to create diversions , break into criminals and mob bosses houses to inplant bugs to spy on them and listen to their conversations. specif gadgets to break into houses For tack opps breaking into house most important thing is not to set of alarms or dogs . they use things like tranqulizers Planting bugs in French drug dealers house mc devit and micrutoro used repplers to get in drug dealers house Chapter 2 Tack opps equipped with night vision googles to look ...
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...Meyer Lansky originally known as Meyer Suchowljansky was a prolific pioneer as becoming the National crime syndicate of the United States in the mid 1900’s. Lansky a powerful figure, in the eye of many, and was so skill full at what he does. Some referred to Lansky as the “Mobs accountant”. His skill of work would push him to a plateau which many could not or might not think of becoming, which was involvement with two different mafia parties and successfully keeping it in tact with one another. The Italian and Jewish mafia, with so much trust within one man the underground crime world would be ready to be under his guidance and leadership. Lansky unlike others was successful and being one of a few that would make the transition of illegal cash crops into legal cash crops. Meyer Lansky an immigrant living in the U.S, Lansky was able to conquer and become a powerful figure of the black market from a youthful age all the way leading to his final days as chief of his enterprise. Some may not agree with his methods but he was a heroic figure in many eyes. He was a crime syndicate which made him powerful and wealthy. Born July 4th 1902 in Russia, he was the son of Jewish parents that emigrated into the United States of America by 1911. By 1918, at the age of 16; Lansky grew a reputation and character for himself at a very young age. At that time he met Bugsy Siegel that would become a long time friend and business partner. In the beginning of their relationship, the two would get...
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...Controlling Organized Crime CJA/384 April 16, 2012 Controlling Organized Crime When many people think of the problems related to organized crime, the stories shown on television or in movies about Sicilian or Italian mafia comes to mind. In reality, the threat of this type of crime is much more widespread. The following explores the problems presented by organized crime, the legal limitations associated with combating organized crime, and suggestions to control organized crime by discussing and evaluating the effectiveness of organized crime prosecutions. Organized Crime Organized crime is nothing new; these groups have been around since the 1900s when Italian immigrants organized into what they called families. These groups maintained strict loyalty and tight lips, discussing their business with no one outside the family. Soon they were involved in the labor unions and bootlegging at the inception of the Prohibition (Repetto, 2007). Some consider these families traditional organized crime groups. New versions are considered nontraditional organized crime groups. Since the rise of the Mafia, other criminal organizations have surfaced using their power to corrupt businesses for personal gain and political strength. Everyday society is under attack by smaller criminal organizations working pipelines for drugs and weapons. These nontraditional groups are outlaw motorcycle gangs, Chinese triads, Columbian cartels, and urban street gangs (Lyman & Potter, 2007)...
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...the United States: an alien conspiracy theory. It depicts organized crime as an underworld corporate enterprise comprised of ethnically or culturally distinct alien groups that corrupt fundamentally sound political and economic institutions (Mastrofski, 2010). Problems presented and the various relationships Organized crime presents a number of problems. Many organized crime families do operate within the family structure and this to an extent creates a less than desirable environment to raise children, organized criminals tend to gear their children into a negative lifestyle. Today's organized crime families are different than those that came about in the past. In the past, criminologists would examine La Cosa Nostra or the Italian Mafia, but criminal activity goes well beyond such crime families. Asian and Russian organizations enter the picture in the United States today. Asian gangs have become quite apparent in modern America. They seem to traffic in illegal goods and practices such as heroin, prostitution, and gambling (Bolz, 1995). They also engage in money laundering schemes (Bolz, 1995). This latter focus is at the heart of many crime organizations because they have to cover their tracks and make it appear as if everything they are doing is legal. Therefore, money laundering appears to be universal. Money laundering is also considered to be the key to the Russian Mafia's operations (Paddock, 1998). It is easy to see why problems are created in respect to the...
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