Organized CrimeI. Criminal Networks

A. Before ProhibitionB. GrowthC. Beer WarsD. The “Syndicate”

II. The Idea of “Organized Crime”A. Progressive Political EconomyB. Ethnic StereotypesC. Functionalist Social Science

III. Gang BustersA. Early AmbivalenceB. The Corruption CrisisC. Calls for reform

IV. Redefining the ProblemA. The Great DepressionB. Shifting Priorities

The Old Regime

• Retail– Saloons, nightclubs,

& brothels • Ethic Origins

– Irish—Clan Na Gael– Jews– Prostitution,

gambling, liquor, fencing, & smuggling

– Italians– Mano Negro• Non-lethal violence

– Slugging, bombing• Political control

– Politicians in “vice wards” own joints

“Big Jim” Colosimo and his saloon

Growth

• New attitude– Individualism– Consumerism– Hedonism

• Technology– Racing wire

• Prohibition

Beer Wars

• Illegal alcohol is $2B industry

• Urban gangs fight to control the market

“The Syndicate”

• Capone• St. Valentine’s Day

massacre, 1929

Progressive Political Economy

• Political metaphor– Conspiracies– Machines– Trusts– Rings

• Class metaphor– Mob– Gang

Stereotypes• Castellammarese War

(1930-1)– Sicilian Immigrants

• “Moustache Petes” – Neapolitan-Americans

• “Lucky” Luciano– Jewish Americans

• Meyer Lansky

• Organized crime is as AMERICAN institution

Don Vito Cascio Ferro

Functionalist Social Science

• Focus– Culture– Environment– Law

• See crime as “functional” response to defect in law, injustice, or inequality

• View crime as a form of social organization– Landesco

Urban Ballyhoo

• Clownishly corrupt mayors– Chicago

• William “Big Bill” Thompson– NYC

• Jimmy “Beau James” Walker– Boston

• James “The Rascal King” Curley

Political Crisis

• McSwiggin assassination

Confronting Lawlessness

Mayor Walker before the Seabury committee

Frank Loesch (right), president of the Chicago

Crime Commission

Chicago reform mayor, William E.

Dever

Federal Criminal Justice

• Wickersham Commission

FBI director, J. Edgar Hoover

The Great Depression

• GNP falls 29% between 1929 and 1933

• Unemployment jumped from 3.2 to 25.2% between 1929 and 1933 

New Priorities

• New Deal

• 18th Amendment repealed, December 5th 1933

• Congress passes Anti-Racketeering Law, May 1934

Fauerbach Brewery Bar, Madison Wisconsin