We all acknowledge the infamous "Five Families." We got some Philly, some New England stuff (a bit of Providence and bits in Boston), Buffalo is completely debatable and at best it's on its last legs. If not for some Canada guys they'd be dead in the water too.
Detroit? Chicago? Are those cities even a bleep on the mob map nowadays? Its a debate for sure!
The rest? Rockford? Los Angeles? Pittsburgh? Cleveland? Tampa? etc., etc., etc....
7 to 8 families (or what pass for families nowadays). Thats about it. Feel free to correct me where you feel I'm wrong here.
N.Y. Hope all is well with you and yours.
My personal opinion is that if a family is still inducting members they are still a family.
I agree with your assessment for the most part:
From what I have read Detroit seems to still be active, in my opinion they are the most successful family in American history, only one of their bosses have spent any time in jail.
That was 2 years or something.
Look at the wealth they have been able to accumulate their inner circle anyway.
Back in the day they would only induct once every 10 or 15 years is what I read.
So it appears they have kept it the way it is by design and on purpose.
They are so secretive how do we really know how many members they really every had?
Or how many they have today?
No way we can tell that for sure.
The boards way of thinking is as such, that if a family is good at what they are supposed to be doing, that is keeping LCN, a "SECRET" society and NOT making head lines.
Then they would be considered DEFUNCT because we are NOT reading about them.
One thing I think we can agree on is that for the most part these guys typically dont just walk away, even when the heat is on some just cant walk away, in their 70's 80's 90's, its CRAZY if you ask me.
Why would any of them walk away if there really wasn't much of any L.E. pressure.
Lastly, crews and family's can be revived depending on a lot of different factors.
Take the Colombo's I think it was back in 2010 or so after Wild Bill got clipped
Mush when he was put back as Acting boss
Went to all the remnants of the family from both factions and said either you come back in the fold and start coming in
Or we put you on the shelf, If you are placed on the shelf you will be an enemy of the me and the Persico's moving forward.
As we know from history enemy's of the Persico's usually dont do very well.
That is just one example
