Selwyn Raab, at the conclusion of his outstanding "The Five Families," makes the point that the success of the Commission case incented US Attorneys around the country to make a name for themselves busting Mafia in their territories. But, since 9/11, a great deal of the resources that were used against the Mob have been diverted to combatting terrorism. And, as others have stated, as long as people want things that are prohibited to them or that they don't deserve or can't get legitimately, there'll always be organizations to serve their needs.

Probably the biggest factor working against the Mafia is the full assimilation and success of Italian-Americans. When they were a scorned and despised minority--living in the American equivalent of small Southern Italian and Sicilian villages and distrusting all outsiders, including government and schools--the Mafia was able to exploit their own people and troll for members who had no other way to succeed. Some of them--Tony Accardo, Charlie Luciano, Frank Costello, Carlo Gambino, to name a few--could have been successful in business, the professions or the arts if they'd had the chance. Now college, not the Mob, is the preferred destination for capable young Italian-Americans. The Mafia is left with the John and Junior Gotti's of the world.