Louren, this question belongs in the "Organized Crime Real Life" board, but it applied to the Corleones as well:

The Mafia is a pyramid scheme. The soldier at the bottom gets a "franchise" to make money that was established, sanctioned and protected by the higher-ups years ago. Plus he gets all the Mafia ritual BS when he's made (burning saint's card, finger-pricking, etc.) that convinces him that he's something better than a common criminal. He kicks part of his earnings up to his crew chief, who sends part of that to his caporegime, who sends part of that to the boss. In return, he's supposed to get support from the higher ups. So, if he's arrested, supposedly the bosses will provide him with a high-powered lawyer, and/or political influence to get him off the hook. And if he's convicted, supposedly the bosses will provide money for his family to live on while he's away. In reality, Mafia is a one-way street: the guy on the bottom gives, the bosses take, and the bosses aren't obligated to do anything for a soldier who got his tit in the wringer. Greed is their common denominator, and they'd just as soon take the attitude: "He got caught because he was dumb--why should I help him out?" Even after John Gotti organized the killing of James McBratney, the Westie who kidnapped and murdered Carlo Gambino's nephew, Gambino himself had to twist the arms of his caporegimes to pay for Gotti's lawyer--Gambino didn't even pay the fee himself.

Of course it's an idiotic situation for the soldier. See this post for a fuller view:

http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=367602&page=1