NCJ Number
60400
Journal
Society Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH/APRIL 1979) Pages: 32-38
Date Published
1979
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THE VIEW THAT ORGANIZED CRIME IN AMERICAN LIFE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WITHIN THE SPECTURM OF THE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM, RATHER THAN AN ETHNIC PHENOMENON WHICH IS ALIEN TO OUR CULTURE IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE CURRENT CONCEPTION OF ORGANIZED CRIME IS UNREALISTIC BECAUSE IT IGNORES ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITY AND STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS AND CONSIDERS ONLY TRADITIONALLY ETHNIC CHARACTERISTICS. IN THE TRADITIONAL VIEW, THE MAFIA IS A SECRET SOCIETY OF 5,000 TO 10,000 MEN, ALL OF ITALIAN ANCESTRY, ORGANIZED INTO AT LEAST 24 FAMILIES THE UNITED STATES, SUPPOSEDLY ROOTED IN KINSHIP AND RITUAL. ESTIMATES OF ITS WEALTH RANGE IN THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN ILLICIT AND LICIT EARNINGS. THE CURRENT VIEW OF THE MAFIA BEGAN TO EMERGE DURING THE KEFAUVER HEARINGS OF THE 1950'S, BECAME A MAJOR FORCE IN PUBLIC OPINION IN THE MID-1960S, AND PERSISTS TODAY. ADHERENCE TO THIS HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE RESULTS IN AN INABILITY TO COMPREHEND THE IMPORTANCE OF NON-ITALIAN ORGANIZED CRIME. EVEN AS THE PRESIDENT'S CRIME COMMISSION FORMALLY ENDORSED A UNIQUE ROLE FOR THE MAFIA IN 1967, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO OBJECTIVELY IGNORE THE PRESENCE OF NON-ITALIANS. THE DOMINANT MODEL OF THE AMERICAN MAFIA IS A FORMAL OR BUREAUCRATIC ORGANIZATION, CHARACTERIZED BY A SERIES OF POSITIONS LINKED WITHIN A HIERARCHY OF AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY. THIS MODEL, HOWEVER, IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE, BOTH ON EMPIRICAL GROUNDS AND FOR REASONS THAT EMERGE FROM A THEORETICAL EXAMINATION OF CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION. WE NEED A BROADER CONCEPT TO SERVE AS A BASIS FOR PUBLIC POLICY. FAILURE TO REASSESS OUR CONCEPTS CAN RESULT IN A SIMPLISTIC EQUATION IN THE PUBLIC MIND BETWEEN ITALIANS AND ORGANIZED CRIME. IN ADDITION, OFFICIAL ATTEMPTS TO UNDERSTAND AND CONTROL ORGANIZED CRIME ARE PREMISED ON THESE TRADITIONAL CONCEPTS; MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE SPENT IN PURSUIT OF CRIMINALS WITH ITALIAN NAMES, YET CRIME CONTINUES TO FLOURISH. A NEW VIEW ON THE DYNAMICS OF AMERICAN LIFE RATHER THAN ROMANTIC IMAGININGS ABOUT ITALIANS, IS ENCOURAGED. SUGGESTED READINGS ARE PROVIDED IN THE ARTICLE. (LWM)