NCJ Number
58312
Journal
Journal of Social History Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (WINTER 1971-1972) Pages: 210-234
Date Published
1972
Length
25 pages
Annotation
THREE MAJOR, INTERRELATED ASPECTS OF ORGANIZED CRIME'S ROLE IN UBAN SOCIETY ARE EXAMINED: THE SOCIAL WORLD WITHIN WHICH CRIMINALS OPERATE, THE ETHNIC PATTERNS INVOLVED, AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF ORGANIZED CRIME.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH THE ARTICLE FOCUSES ON CHICAGO, ITS HYPOTHESES ARE PROBABLY TRUE FOR OTHER CITIES AS WELL. DURING THE PERIOD OF INTENSIVE IMMIGRANT MOVEMENT INTO CITIES, ORGANIZED CRIME PROVIDED PATHS OF UPWARD MOBILITY FOR MANY YOUTHS RAISED IN ETHNIC SLUMS. OTHER SOCIAL WORLDS OPEN TO THEM INCLUDED URBAN POLITICS, BUSINESS THAT PROSPERED THROUGH POLITICAL FRIENDSHIPS AND CONTACTS, LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY'S LABOR UNIONS, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT. THESE WORLDS WERE INTERRELATED, AND ORGANIZED CRIME EXERTED GREAT INFLUENCE UPON THEM ALL. THE ETHNIC URBAN ENVIRONMENT HAD A COMMON VALUE SYSTEM THAT INCLUDED THE CONCEPT THAT SOCIETY OPERATES THROUGH A PROCESS OF DEALS, FRIENDSHIP, AND MUTUAL FAVORS. THE BASIC ATTITUDE TOWARD THE LEGAL SYSTEM WAS THAT IT WAS ANOTHER RACKET. FURTHERMORE MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO EVENTUALLY SUCCEEDED IN ONE OF THE SOCIAL WORLDS HAD PREVIOUSLY PARTICIPATED IN THE OTHERS. THERE WAS ETHNIC SPECIALIZATION IN THESE URBAN SOCIETIES. THE IRISH DOMINATED LABOR RACKETEERING AND GAMBLING; THE ITALIANS, BOOTLEGGING; THE BLACKS, PROSTITUTION. ORGANIZED CRIME HAD GREAT ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THESE URBAN COMMUNITIES BECAUSE OF THE RELATIVELY GREAT WEALTH OF SUCCESSFUL CRIMINALS AND BECAUSE LARGE NUMBERS OF PERSONS WERE EMPLOYED BY ORGANIZED CRIME OR WERE SUPPLEMENTING THEIR INCOME THROUGH IT. PERSONS WHO WERE SUCCESSFUL THROUGH ORGANIZED CRIME BECAME ETHNIC HEROES AND OFTEN WERE BENEVOLENT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES FROM WHICH THEY HAD SPRUNG. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)