Is it trues that Cosa Nostra was able to breath a little, lick wounds and build back power after 9/11? I've heard people call the last decade resurgence. Is the Federal Government getting back into pursuing these individuals? Also, why do they waste the excessive time, money, etc for a group that, without Hollywood, are a bunch of middle-old aged street toughs?
It's true that much of the FBI's manpower against the LCN was moved to anti-terrorism after 9/11. And even after more than a decade later, the numbers of agents on mob cases are nowhere near where they were in the 1980's and 1990's. That said, there really hasn't seemed to be a decline in mob cases. They're still coming at a continual pace. There's a concern that the feds shouldn't drop the numbers too low but it's not like the same amount of resources are needed today either. In short, I'd say it gave the mob some breathing room. To say it's been a "resurgence" is an overstatement though.
Well, the Mafia isn't really considered a huge priority outside of New York anyway. And, as said above, even there the federal resources against it have been diminished over the past decade. I've never understood why some people think it's a "waste" of time or money to investigate the Mafia. The fact most mob guys are older doesn't change the fact that they're involved in organized crime, commit assaults and murder, traffic in drugs, corrupt unions, etc.
Also, is there any sustainable future for the mid size families (Chicago, Detroit, etc), or is it all over?
I guess it depends on what you mean by "sustainable future." Will the remaining smaller families outside New York (New England, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Chicago) be gone tomorrow? No. But you can see the writing on the wall. I don't think they'll be around a long time from now like the NY families. They don't have the manpower that is available in New York. Nor the diversification of operations. And you can already see the hierarchical structure start to break down in these smaller families.
