Mussolini you win , let's just say the mob Around here, yeah do call themselves Italians first .

Actually street gangs are pretty varied and complex. Alot of the big ones have structures and ranks and also gang leaders and even members vary in ages from mid twenties to their 40s and they engage in a diverse array of activity from drug dealing, robbery,extortion, fraud, cyber crime,prostitution, contract murder and money laundering.As far as legitimate business goes a number of gang members have been known to open up businesses and in chicago they have been reported to have gotten involved with the construction industry. They also have been known to get involved with music production aswell. Alot of these businesses are used to launder money and also as fronts for other illegal activity such as drug dealing.I think people tend simplify gangs into just kids who hang out on a corner sling bags of dope even though that is part of it.

the mafia though a very organised group of career criminals isnt invincible, they cant just wipe people out , the fact they no longer control the drug trade in their own stronghold in new york is proof of that because if they could they would.

Not a contest my friend, we are both after the same thing and that is the truth. Sorry I was not more clear in my first post and I appreciate your input.

Mussolini
The mafia once controlled the entire heroin supply in the northeast up until the late 70s. My point was if they were as capable and powerful as some people still seem to think they are surely that would still be the case. Also i dont think its that ridiculous to compare street gangs to the mafia, they are both crime groups with rules,rank and intitation, they are just different ethnicities and ages. The construction thing ive read in a few articles i posted up before. Ive posted up alot of stuff on street gangs on this forum so i dont really want to keep putting up the same links everytime street gangs are brought up on a new thread, but heres one of the articles where its mentioned. http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/January-2012/Gangs-and-Politicians-An-Unholy-Alliance/

Actually street gangs are pretty varied and complex. Alot of the big ones have structures and ranks and also gang leaders and even members vary in ages from mid twenties to their 40s and they engage in a diverse array of activity from drug dealing, robbery,extortion, fraud, cyber crime,prostitution, contract murder and money laundering.As far as legitimate business goes a number of gang members have been known to open up businesses and in chicago they have been reported to have gotten involved with the construction industry. They also have been known to get involved with music production aswell. Alot of these businesses are used to launder money and also as fronts for other illegal activity such as drug dealing.I think people tend simplify gangs into just kids who hang out on a corner sling bags of dope even though that is part of it.

NOthing wrong with comparing them as criminal groups but to assume street gangs are as diversified as the mafia when it comes to things like construction and extortion is ridiculous and one article or even a handful vs documented records of decades of controlling labor unions,cement, windows ect is like comparing a local drug dealer with a grow op to the Mexican Cartels.

This. The only difference between the mafia and street gangs is that street gangs wear their wife beater under shirts in the open.

true, true

This. The only difference between the mafia and street gangs is that street gangs wear their wife beater under shirts in the open.

Hey! the wife beater is an important accessory to a gangster.

If you read the wiretap transcripts of the case in NJ, where some Lucchese guys were working with a bloods leader, the blood leader was kind of in awe of the family and said how he "loved you guys" about the mafia, I think street gangs, especially high ranking guys respect the mob and its history and try to emulate them sometimes.

You're joking right? Or do you really believe when it comes to organization and structure the only difference is the wife beaters?