Organized Crime Around the World

1882 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Al capone change in society

When people think of organized crime they think of the Italian mob and the Russian mafia. They are the ones that they see in movies and on television, and the ones that they hear about the most. However, they were created a couple centuries after their Asian counterparts, the Yakuza in Japan, and the Triads in China. These Asian syndicates were founded in the sixteenth and seventeenth century and consisted of merchants and other people in what was basically the middle class. They were just groups of poorer people who were just looking for protection or were trying to help other people. The first organized crime syndicates were a kind of Robin Hood, they helped the poor. They weren’t big or powerful, and they didn’t have large numbers. The Italian mob was the same way, small numbers and very little power. Over time though, these organizations began to grow beyond even what their founders pictured. As this started to happen, and these organizations became more of a nuisance, governments started to take notice. They began trying to stop them by either slowing the growth or causing them to cease existence. Despite efforts to eradicate organized crime, it is stronger than ever. In the early part of the twentieth century, organized crime began to pop up in the United States with a similar structure to current days. Prohibition caused men to begin the manufacturing and distribution of alcohol under the government’s radar. There was one name that stood out from all the others, Al Capone a.k.a. “Scarface.” Capone set the stage for organized crime in America and thrust it into the spotlight. It wouldn’t be for a couple decades though that the larger groups would begin to have a significant presence in the US. As America opened its borders ... ... middle of paper ... ...tp://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/organizedcrime/eurasian>. Finckenauer, James O. "La Cosa Nostra in the United States." Www.ncjrs.gov, 6 June 2007. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. . "How the Law Finally Caught Up With Al Capone." FBI. FBI, 28 Mar. 2005. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. . "Italian Organized Crime." FBI. FBI, 27 Aug. 2010. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Pike, John. "La Cosa Nostra." La Cosa Nostra. Federation of American Scientist, 3 Oct. 1998. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. . "Russian Organized Crime." Russian Organized Crime. Federation of American Scientist, Mar. 1996. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. . "The Yakuza." The Yakuza. Okinawan-shorinryu.com, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. .

Show More
Related

  • The Sources of Al Capone's Power

    733 Words  | 2 Pages

    Al Capone’s family came with a wave of other Italian immigrants that migrated to the United States in the 1800’s. Most immigrants in that time were living in poverty and in very urban areas. Capone’s family lived in the heart of Brooklyn, but his father was a successful barber which allowed them a slightly better lifestyle than most. Al Capone was the fourth of nine children and grew up with a very tight-knit Italian family who were trying to succeed in their new country”. Capone attended public school in the city and had a natural brightness by keeping a “B average” despite playing hooky on many occasions. The sixth grade showcased Capone’s short temper when he hit a female teacher who was lecturing him. This incident reveals the beginning of who Al Capone would come to be. After being suspended for his violence, he never officially furthered his education. He began his life of crime by joining the kid gangs that existed all over Brooklyn. These “gangs” were nothing more than children being hoodlums and participating in petty crimes, although they would be the ...

    Read More

  • Japanese, Russian, Chinese, and Mexican Organized Crime

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    Organized crime is an international issue and it exists in several different countries, such as; Italy, China, Japan, Russia and the United States of America. Although all these groups of organized crime have many things in common they tend to have different ways of doing something, or they may not do them at all. Many also commit similar types of crimes, and others commit crimes other groups would not.

    Read More

  • How Is Henry Hill A Gangster

    1211 Words  | 3 Pages

    The gangsters we know and love today are much different from what they were 40 years ago. From the way they talked, dressed, and went about their business, the idea of a gangster has changed a lot. But they have one thing in common and this is the fact that they both had and have a huge impact on our society. One gangster in particular, Henry Hill, contributed to a huge turning point in the methods of American criminals. Henry Hill’s accomplishments as a mobster and an FBI informant helped change the ways of organized crime and how the government tried to stop them.

    Read More

  • Alphonse Gabriel Capone And The Bootlegger In American History

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    As more and more immigrants began to spread throughout the US, more and more gangs of people began to emerge. Gangs were usually made up of people of a common ethnicity, whether it be Irish, Italian, or Hispanic. These gangs were usually victims of anti-immigrant policies and looked for strength in numbers. As gangs became more and more sophisticated they realized they could make profits from the power they were accumulating. One of the most recognizable examples is the bootlegging of alcohol during the Prohibition. When federal officials attempted to enforce legislation such as the Volstead Act, there was a surge of illegal sales and profits. In 1927, Al Capone and his gang racked up over $60 million from bootlegged alcohol. With all of this money came tons of violence, people were getting murdered in broad daylight just so others could have a sum of all of this wealth. Soon Mob families would own clubs or casinos to increase their wealth. The attendees weren’t only made up of rich mob bosses, the alcohol, dancing, and gambling attracted many ordinary

    Read More

  • Organized Crime In The Film 'Scarface'

    2528 Words  | 6 Pages

    As we open our eyes to the world around us, we see that crime comes in many different shapes and sizes. Organized crime is really not much different, it is a larger scale of individuals with the same goals, to commit criminal acts, normal for money or profit. As early as the 1700’s immigrants have been submitted to organized crime. They migrate to the United States and other countries in search for a better life but sometimes get caught up in the American system of wanting money and power and feel as though the illegal way is the only way of achieving this.

    Read More

  • The Life and Times of Benjamin Bugsy Siegel

    1241 Words  | 3 Pages

    South, David. The History of Organized Crime: Secrets of The World’s Most Notorious Gangs. New York: Metro Books, 2013. Print.

    Read More

  • The Farce of the American Dream in Hawkes’ Original Film, Scarface

    363 Words  | 1 Pages

    Organized crime has developed a stigma regarding its power and influence, especially during its hay day in the 1930’s. The mob has always been viewed as a powerful “family-like” organization. In Scarface, Hawkes brings the mafia into a seemingly more realistic light. By overturning Lovo’s position of power, Tony represents the idea of “every man for himself,” within a supposed organized group. The viewer steps into a cut-throat world of power hungry men, all trying to get rich quick. In this world, Hawkes asks, how can you organize men towards any goal if they all seek personal gain?

    Read More

  • Prohibition: Al Capone

    1960 Words  | 4 Pages

    The time was late in the reign of Capone. His operations in the 1920s through the 30s led the FBI getting involved in his antics. Capone would have signs of his work all over the place, but he could never be caught. Whether it was bribing a jury, or even just serving small time and getting out for good behavior. Capone could not have the book thrown at him, he was just too sly. The mob was always hard to catch due to lack of evidence and the fact that people could be either paid off or scared off. In 1931, the time would come and the Eagle would finally catch the snake. Capone was found guilty of tax evasion on bootlegging money. In a article on History.com, states that, “On June 5, 1931 the U.S. government finally indicted Capone on 22 counts of income-tax evasion…. When the judge in the case declared that he would not honor the agreement, Capone quickly withdrew his guilty plea, and the case went to trial. During the trial Capone used the best weapon in his arsenal: bribery and intimidation. But at the last moment, the judge switched to an entirely new jury. Capone was found guilty and sent to prison for 11 years” (History.com). Capone was finally sentenced to true jail time. The judge he faced was not entertaining his bribery and his corruption in his courtroom. Capone had finally been caught and sentenced to eleven years

    Read More

  • Al Capone Biography

    1367 Words  | 3 Pages

    more clearer when put in the light of an analysis of how the mafia enterprise

    Read More

  • The Sicilian Mafia in America

    1101 Words  | 3 Pages

    During 1869-2014 the Sicilian mafia in America evolved in a number of ways such as: the change in rules, leaders, how it is run, the change in code and power over American society. These topics will be covered throughout this essay and will give you a detailed explanation of the history of the evolution that took place. The Sicilian Mafia started in poor Sicilian ghettos in America and spread into the cities, striking fear into the American society. With around 2,500 members, it is seen as the most powerful and the most active Italian organized criminal group in the United States of America. The Sicilian mafia is more commonly known as La Cosa Nostra.

    Read More

  • The Mafia

    1432 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Mafia is a secret criminal organization that has great economic and political control over large parts of Sicilian society and operates both criminal and legitimate enterprises in the United States. It is believed to have started during Sicily's late Middle Ages, beginning as separate bonds of strong-arm enforcers hired by local landowners. It eventually evolved into a network of independent groups governing in rural areas. With the Sicilian immigration of the late 19th century, the Mafia began to operate in several large United States cities. During the period of Prohibition it monopolized the trade in bootleg liquor and controlled loan sharking, gambling, and prostitution. Competing Mafia families established mutually recognized territories, reaching agreement by negotiation or by intimidation. By the mid-1930 the Mafia had taken on the institutionalized structure that is now typical of organized crime in the United States.

    Read More

  • How Did Prohibition Laws Influence Organized Crime

    1307 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although the roaring 20’s is often characterized as a period of prosperity and optimism in America, ironically with the enforcement of the Prohibition Laws, criminal activity increased. The aim of this investigation is to discuss what the Prohibition Laws enforced, and how and why it affected the significant increase of organized crime during the 1920’s. From the topic, Al Capone who was an infamous gangster during the era will be investigated as well as what major roles he played. The factors of who, what, how and why will be answered. Much of the research will be from reliable, documents, articles and letters found online, both primary and secondary sources. After analyzing the information and findings, the understanding of how organized crime in the 1920’s sprouted

    Read More

  • Impacts of the Mafia

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    Peter Maas declares organized crime the “biggest business in the country” (Maas). “The largest and best known organized crime group is the nationwide organization variously known as the ‘syndicate’, the ‘mob’, the ‘Mafia’, and the ‘Cosa Nostra’” (Nash, Jason O-155). Some activities of the Mafia include gambling, loan sharking, pornography, illicit drugs, and racketeering. The Mafia began in Sicily, but did not retain to just that one location. In fact, in the late nineteenth century many of the Sicilian members immigrated to the United States (Nash O-155). The Mafia in the United States contains members that are Americans with Sicilian ancestry (“Mafia” M-48). There are several Mafia groups in the United States. Law enforcement authorities agree that there are around twenty-five groups that operate in large cities across the nation (Nash O-155).

    Read More

  • The Gambino Crime Family

    1304 Words  | 3 Pages

    The era of Don Carlo, which lasted from 1957-1976, was enormously prosperous for the Gambino Crime Family. At the beginning of his rule he, and many other crime families, ran into a pretty large roadblock. As Gambino was being sworn in as leader of the Cosa Nostra, President Elect John Fitzgerald Kennedy, a man who had “sworn to destroy people like him and rid the nation of the scourge of organized crime” had also been sworn in”(Davis 87). The Kennedy brothers, with Robert as head of the McClellan Committee, was the first time that the executive branch of the government directly went after organized crime. Before Kennedy, presidents had even been opposed to going after the mob Harry Truman and Eisenhower discouraged hearings like Kefauver’s to proceed. Another huge obstacle to the federal investigation of the Cosa Nostra lay directly at the feet of corrupt FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. He obtusely denied the existence of the Mafia and was reported to call the reports of its existence “baloney” (Davis 87). Eventually, after overwhelming evidence, Hoover was convinced there was a problem and organized crime was the reason for it. President JFK’s brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy instituted the world’s largest attack on organized crime in all of history. He drew up a list of the top targets, forty in all, and went on his way. After the first year of his war on organized crime, Bobby Kennedy indicted 121 mob defendants and had 73 convictions. By 1963 there was 615 indicted and 288 convictions. One of the most long-lasting tactics that were introduced during Kennedy’s campaign, was the use of bugs and other listening devices in the homes, favored clubs, and hideouts of the mobsters. Electronic surveillance was a new resource an...

    Read More

  • Abadinsky Organized Crime Analysis

    327 Words  | 1 Pages

    Organized crime and a criminal organization cannot be easily defined because there is no agreed upon definition. Abadinsky in his text book Organized Crime defines organized crime as a group that has some formal structure in which the main goal is to accrue monetary funds through illicit activities such as racketeering, gambling, and the sale of illegal substances (Abadinsky, 2013). The United Nations defines an organized crime group as a group of three or more people that was not randomly formed, has been existing for a period of time, is acting in concert with the aim of committing at least one crime punishable by at least four years' incarceration, and they do this in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material

    Read More

More about Organized Crime Around the World

Open Document