Should The Witness Protection Program Be Abolished

With so many filthy rats going back to their old haunts, podcasting, laughing and joking in public doing interviews and just generally having themselves a good old time in the mob's face, it begs the question: is the Witness Protection Program even necessary anymore?

It has to be modified, but not totally eliminated.

Thats only with mob! The other oc gruops are trying actively to kill the rats and their families. No way! It can be abolished.

I don't care about the lives of these rats though, innocent people not involved shouldn't have to pay but I don't care about the rats. I understand from the government's standpoint (I don't care for the State either) but me personally I could care less.

If Joe Pistone can visit Little Italy and actually speak words to an old schooler (Albert Gallo)
I don’t see a reason to continue it indefinitely. When emotions are super high, it is necessary for a duration of time.

I guess there is always the possibility of someone’s kid hunting them down for destroying their family structure.

Case by case is probably how it should be handled.

What's Pistone got to do with it though? He's a fed, they've always been protected. 99% of people wouldn't be afforded that same protection.

At least some of the people are straight citizens who need new identities for testifying, etc.

The WPP in USA and Italy to deal with Mafia-type organizations is a model for LE around the world. Many countries now have similar programs.

The mob might not be killing rats, but they're not the only criminal organization out there.

The mob aren't killing rats, you know why? Because they're under heavy surveillance, moreso than anyone else.

One big problem I have with it is it not used for witness protection all the time. Instead, it is an incentive to rat. Money is provided, a new home paid for by taxpayers, and in the case of rat Michael DiLeonardo, Capeci reported a few years ago the government was giving him $4,000 a month 'In case he remembered anything" he had forgotten to tell them. They move family members who are not in any danger such as relatives other than immediate family.

Plenty oft victims of mobsters and other criminals are in the WPP because they testified and need protection--they'd be dead otherwise.

I agree with you Turnbull. WITSEC is not only utilized for mobsters, but by extension often those others also connected to mob cases. And for that matter, although originally designed to weaken the mob. Over the years many others have gone into its program. Gangs, South American drug traffickers, etc.

Those Colombian and Mexican cartels will try everything to get to witnesses.

Oh come on, there's not many cartel members or witnesses in the Witness Protection Program, and I don't know of any other group whose members are offered get-out-of-jail free cards regardless of whatever heinous acts they committed in exchange for giving up their fellow comrades, to the extent of LCN. They wouldn't even give that kinda deal to Nicky Barnes, it's almost as though those options are reserved exclusively for Mafiosi, with guys like Whitey Bulger being an anomaly.

There are many Colombians and Mexicans under US protection.

Okay, let me rephrase the question: Should the Witness Protection Program be abolished when it comes to the Mafia? Because it's obvious that most of the rats leave the program anyway and move back home, doing interviews and making a big scene. And it's very obvious that the mob no longer kills rats or much of anyone anymore.

I agree, but they can't totally abolish it. They need to cut out the get out of jail free part. I know that is done by prosecutors, but they work with the wits program, The big problem is the incentives they through in, aside from protection and relocation. Such as salaries for doing nothing, like Michael DiLeonardo getting $4, 000 a month years after he was done testifying.