I am sure a lot of associates have criminal records from a young age that kept them out of well paying jobs with benefits. So even if they are only making what they would make in a legitimate job, it's a living.
This. In the very early days guys were immigrants or sons of immigrants, they had few options. Later they were brought up in the streets and had records, little education and very few options.
These days? With the massive sentences they face and the level of surveillance that the whole country is under? I dont think there is any amount of money that could justify the decision. Its like saying how much money would you take to put 2 bullets in a revolver, spin the cylinder, put it to your head and pull the trigger? No amount of money.
Ten years from now in America? I think the answer will be very different.
