ok first i wanna say that i find everything very interesting...in saying that i have no idea what i mean...now as i see it organized crime is nothing of what it was in the era around the 20's through the 60's...now all you have is these stupid street schmucks runnin around sellin pot and wearin bandanas...that aint organized crime thats just a bunch of punks runnin around thinkin theyre tuff...there is many ppl in this forum askin about the mafia and how it works...i question it all myself...i really wonder if all the ranks were (or are?) really as clearcut as u all say...im sure there were ppl who fit into those ranks but i doubt they went around callin thereselves capos or nothin...im not making claim to be an expert on the topic of organized crime tho and i merely wanted to share a few thoughts...thanx

Hi 74Transam

I'm not the expert on the subject that most are here, but I can tell you that these "street punks" are not "organized crime". IMO, they are just street punks.

Organized crime, I would think is just that.."Organized". Suit and tie businessmen actually, although in an illegal business granted. I don't know as much about today's organized crime, but I know it's not what it use to be.

However judging from the past "Crime Lords", many were smart and planned out each and every move carefully, which would explain why there are those who were never prosecuted or weren't
"nailed" until years later; and like with Al Capone, on lesser charges.

As idiotic as it sounds, I do think they had more finesse, tact and business sense (not condoning organized crime mind you ), then todays organized crime figures and certainly more than the "street punks". Although I know Rico (sp) had a part in changing the crime world to an extent, so that could be part of it.

Hey, but that's just one dummy's opinion. Let's let the others join in and see what they say.

TIS

I agree with you on this TIS, plus IMHO those street punks would run crying to their mommies if they actually came up against an organized crime individual.

Plus it's been my view that to many of today's organized crime people are to damn willing to become government informants, just so they can have their 15 minutes of fame, plus not to mention all the book deals, and movie deals.

In the day of Carlo Gambino, and Anthony "Joe Batters" Accardo. mafia people(bad choice of words I know) actually valued Omerta.

But then this is just my 2 cents for whatever that's worth.