...History: The Five Families of the New York Mafia Since the1920’s the five Italian/Sicilian-American crime families which include the Colombo’s, the Genovese’s, the Bonanno’s, the Gambino’s, and the Lucchese’s have been dominating New York’s organized crime. Each family has their own unique story about how each family made its way to becoming one of the top Five Families in the mafia. We will be taking a journey and learning the history behind each crime family, from what part of New York they controlled to who controlled each family during that time period, and who currently runs the mafia present day. Before going into the histories of each of these families, below is a hierarchy chart of the organized crime. You will need this to understand how the families were structured, and names that were associated with their titles. Boss: Also known as the “Don”. Has total control over the entire family. Underboss: They are second in command of the family; they give orders usually that comes from the Boss. Consigliere: The family advisor, sometimes they’re professional attorneys. Capo: They are captains or lieutenants; they are in charge of the soldiers and associates. Soldiers: They are the ones that do all the dirty work; they take orders from the Capo’s, and sometimes the Underboss. Associates: Are soldiers who haven’t been a “made man” yet. ------------------------------------------------- The Colombo Crime Family The Colombo crime family was formerly...
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...York City. Gotti’s mother, Fannie, and father, J. Joseph Gotti, were both Italian immigrants. John Gotti was the fifth of 13 children in a family whose only income came from their father’s unpredictable work as a day laborer. Gotti and his family moved frequently before settling in East New York, an area known at the time for its youth gang activity. By the age of 12, Gotti was working as an errand boy for an underground club in the neighborhood run by Carmine Fatico. Fatico was a captain in the local Gambino family, the largest of the five organized crime families in New York City. Through his activities with the club, Gotti met Aniello Dellacroce, who became his life-long mentor. Differential Opportunity Theory, main idea is that crime is chosen when the benefits outweigh the costs of the punishment. This type of behavior is learned from those we associate ourselves with, and that it also comes from conforming to the beliefs, ideals, and regulations set forth by the teacher, or from social engagement with others. Gotti soon became the leader of a gang called the Fulton-Rockaway boys, a group known for their frequent robberies and car-jackings. When he was 14, Gotti’s toes were crushed as he tried to steal a cement mixer. The accident gave the mobster-to-be his trademark gait, and earned him another incident on his list of petty crimes. He was considered a bully and constant discipline problem at Franklin K. Lane High School until he dropped out at 16. By the age of 18, the...
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...establishment sold hard liquor during period of prohibition illegally sold alcohol estimated 25% of citizens involved in some sort of smuggling ladies would wear belts that could hold a bottle they would then be able to hide it under their dress Al Capone New York’s Gambino family many immigrants mostly Italians gave jobs to about 700 gunmen for organized crime born in Brooklyn, NY basically created organized crime in the US during Prohibition, was one of the most wealthiest people in the US mainly lived and worked in Chicago was one of the many big criminals in the Chicago area after conflicts in countries beside the US, Mafia families left and then set up shop in the US the families would then begin doing exactly what they had...
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...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 were crushed. From...
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...My perception of organized crime Ravin Hipshire CJA-384 The way I would define Organized crime would be a group of people that are committing any type of crime against a community, city or state. I would think of it as a group of any ethnicity. You see Organized crime groups such as MS-13. To a lot of people they would look like just a gang of violent offenders. To me, I see them as a organized crime group. I also think that any group that is involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorism, violence, and torture should be considered some type of organized crime. When I did some of the reading I looked at how the organized crime world id defined. It is a little bit more elaborate than that of mine. One of the things I didn't think about until I read it was the torture part. I never realized that this is also something that should be considered. Another part of the reading that I did not know is that there was an organized crime ring ran by a African American woman in the 30's and 40's called the forty thieves. I always thought of the Italian families running organized crime and that was all I knew or even cared to know. I never thought about their being Irish, Jewish, and other countries like this involved in organized crime. I was quite shocked to read about the Irish Immigration and see that they as well as Sicilian people were so oppressed by others that they created there own group of people which started the whole Mafia business...
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...2013 Constant Wilson Organized Crime In this paper, I will describe my personal perception of organized crime. I will identify any assumptions on which my perceptions are based, and answer the following questions. How would you describe or define organized crime? How does your perception compare to the definitions in the readings? What characteristics do you think are associated with organized criminal behavior? In my mind, when I think of organized crime, I think back to the days of the mafia, the Costa Nostra. People like: John Gotti “The Teflon Don”, Al Capone, Charles “Lucky’ Luciano, Bugsy Seigel, and “Machine Gun” Kelly, powerful crime families like the Gambino and Genovese families. Powerful Men and Families that ran intricate schemes of criminal activity. These men were at times ruthless criminals and at times loving family men, proven by the fact that they called their gangs a family, even though not all the men in the families were related. A large part of my knowledge about organized crime comes from television, news, movies and books. Organized crime has been sensationalized in the entertainment industry for years. Movies like the Godfather, Goodfellas, and The Untouchables, and television shows, as The Sopranos made the life in organized crime seem almost normal. The fact that these men committed numerous crimes, both financial and violent, seems to have passed over the heads of many people. To me organized crime is a group of people that band together...
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...Gangs and Organized Crime in the United States Criminal Justice Janaree Nagel 10/15/2011 Gangs and Organized Crime in the United States is on the rise. With the increase in turf wars, position and the financial gains, gang wars and Organized Crime are linked together in many ways. Within this paper, I will show how they are all tied together in. The M-13’s are the largest reported gang controlling large areas of our states. However, the largest area to which the MS-13’s control is within our own capital, Washington D.C. Their leaders rule all the gangs from inside El Salvador. I will discuss other gangs, and their ties into Organized Crime. Gangs and Organized Crime in the United States When I first began this research, I was stunned by the number of gangs that can be accounted for living on US soil. I wasn’t shocked by the type of activities that they are involved in ranging from drug trafficking, carjacking, murder, rape and kidnapping. The news media is constantly reporting the ages to which individuals join a gang, and the reasons behind their becoming involved. Most that join look for acceptance, and are often from families that have one parent, typically run by their mother who represents head of the household. While others join gangs because they believe it will make others respect them. Throughout our course study, we have discussed a number of things concerning the criminal...
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...Controlling Organized Crime When people think of organized crime, the first thing that comes to mind is Italian Mafia families like ones seen on television. Actually, organized crime groups consist of various nationalities and they operate in many parts of the world. This assignment will explain what organize crime is and suggest what should be done to control it. Organized Crime Defined There are several definitions of organized crime but there is not a definite one. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) definition of organized crime is as follows: Organized crime is “any group having some manner of a formalized structure and whose primary objective is to obtain money through illegal activities. Such groups maintain their position through the use of actual or threatened violence, corrupt public officials, graft or extortion, and generally have a significant impact on the people in their locales, region or the county as a whole” (Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), n.d.). Theories The following theories assist law enforcement and government official by showing how and why organized crime evolved. These theories give a better explanation as to why members of organized crime groups commit illegal acts. In a paper previously written by myself, the following was discussed: There are empirical and speculative theories that are applicable to organized crime and criminal behavior. The rational choice theory “first emerged in the mid-18th century and was once...
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...ORGANIZED CRIME INVESTIGATION "Yes, Mr. Hoover, there is a Mafia" (Rudy Giuliani) Organized crime is in a class by itself. It's big, it's powerful, it's well-connected, and highly profitable. Mafia is the most common term used to describe the more profitable criminal organizations around the world, but other terminology exists, such as: international criminal organizations (military usage); transnational crime (United Nations usage); and enterprise crime (FBI usage). As the term is utilized in criminology, it refers to any (or all) of six (6) different types of crime: (1) crime as business, which includes white collar crime as well as various forms of corruption; (2) offenses involving works of art, counterfeiting, or other cultural artifacts; (3) crime associated with the distribution and sale of narcotics as well as other contraband substances; (4) crime associated with human migration or sex trafficking including various forms of prostitution; and (5) crime involving contract murder or for-hire use of force, mostly deadly force; and (6) various forms of computer crime involving identity theft and/or other large-scale financial frauds. No one-sentence conceptual definition exists, and a very useful webpage can be found on the Internet devoted to the Many Definitions of Organized Crime. There are known characteristics of organized crime, such as corruption, violence, sophistication, continuity, structure, discipline, ideology (or lack thereof), multiple enterprises...
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...business’s profitability. 2) Jimmy Hoffa’s involvement with the International Brothers of Teamsters included working with organized crime groups to use the threat of labor trouble to force businesses to employ mob controlled overalls supply firm. He was appointed Vice President of IBT, but his career was filled with scandal and criminal charges. 3) The Gambino family had control over New York’s garment industry by not allowing any room for competition which hurt the economy. They put...
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...Organized crime has been around for several decades and there is very little discussion about the women behind and beside the men in the business. Ma Barker, Opal Long, Victoria Gotti, and Renee Graziano, are some of the women with affiliations to organized crime families just to name a few. Although many may argue that they are very few women in organized crime, there are actually several women who have huge roles in organized crime families by being mothers, wives, daughters and even members. The FBI defines organized crime as any group having some manor of a formalized structure with the primary objectivity to obtain money through illegal activity. Such groups maintain their position through the use of actual or threatening violence, corrupt...
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...Organized Crime Policy Analysis CJA/464 July 28, 2014 Controlling Organized Crime Paper The Economy and national security are at risk; organized crime is a major threat to the United States. According to K. M. Finklea, “the Organized Crime Council was reconvened for the first time in 15 years to address this continued threat, (2010). Over the years organized crime has changed with the internet, and the continued boarder battle, it has extended out to other countries making it almost imposable to stay on top of these major crime syndicates. A variety of threats have come from criminal organizations, such as, Russian, Asian, Balkan, and the Middle East syndicates. Law makers wonder if they have provided enough tools to law enforcement to allow them to deal with the organized crime of today’s level. Policy makers have voiced concerns over possible connections between terrorism groups and organized crime syndicates. Even though there are many differences between organized crime and terrorist groups, they both have a common goal; profit, and power. Policy makers fear that terrorist groups may potentially get funding directly from organized crime groups. Many organized crime groups that have formed an alliance with terrorist groups are usually only in business short-term, according to K. M. Finkley, (2010); however, they is still a concern. One of the most interesting characteristics of organized crime...
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...Like classic Mobsters, they actually acted as semi-protectors of the community. They often helped out families in need and greene himself used to hand out turkeys to desperate families on thanksgiving. He recruited a number of enforcers, including Billy McDuffy who had 14 hits under his belt and enforcer-hitman James "Icepick" Sterling, so called as he reportedly killed someone with an icepick. They started setting up their own gambling dens across the city. He also became friends and allies with John Nardi, a Cleveland family labor racketeer who hated the established family and wanted to overthrow...
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...Crime was on the Rise In the 1960’s, the world was changing at a rapid rate. The 60’s provided many challenges for America in many ways. With the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr, and Malcolm X, America seemed to be slowly destroying itself. With many Americans fighting for their rights, countless types of crime were committed during this time. Several great leaders in America were killed, but several bad Mafia leaders were taken down as well. Crime rates in America during the 60’s increased tremendously with assassinations, civil rights riots, and Mafia murders happening around every corner. Over the past 40 years, America has changed in many ways. Back in the 1960’s technology, politics, civil rights,...
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...AND CONFLICT, 2nd ed., (Academic Press, expected 2008). Hate Crimes Jack Levin and Jack McDevitt Northeastern University I. Legal Distinctions II. Hate Crimes and Prejudice III. Why Treat Hate Crimes Differently? IV. Problems in Collecting Hate Crime Data V. Types of Hate Crimes VI. Organized Hate Groups VII. VIII. Are Hate Crimes on the Rise? Responses to Hate crimes IX. Conclusion GLOSSARY Defensive Hate Crimes Hate offenses aimed against particular “outsiders” who are regarded as posing a challenge to a perpetrator’s neighborhood, workplace, school, or physical wellbeing. Ethno-violence Acts of hate that do not necessarily rise to the legal standard of a crime, but contain an element of prejudice. Hate Crimes (also known as Bias Crimes) Criminal offenses motivated either entirely or in part by the fact or perception that a victim is different from the perpetrator. Mission Hate Crimes Hate offenses committed as an act of “war” against any and all members of a particular group of people. Modern Racism victim. Prejudice A negative attitude toward individuals based on their perceived group Subtle and institutionalized forms of bigotry based on the race of the membership. Retaliatory Hate Crimes terrorism. Thrill Hate Crimes Hate offenses typically committed by youngsters who are motivated by Hate offenses designed to get even for hate crimes or acts of the desire for excitement. HATE CRIMES are criminal offenses motivated either entirely or in part by...
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