Read some charts about todays mafia and found that most made guys are in their 60s to 80s, although I know these guys still can manage their businesses, how do mob maintain its position in the underworld like that? I mean, you need the capability of violence to protect your rackets from other criminals, and certain violence should be acted when necessary, like beating somebody up when he doesnt pay . Its just confusing for me that a powerful organized crime organization is full of old men and 40 seems to be a very young age among them.
I thought family need shooters and leg breakers to keep things going.
So, do they have a bunch of young associates whos willing to carry out violence for them in some beating or even murders?
Im also curious that whether it is always like this or in old days made men were younger? And what about Italy? In the Gomorrah show it seems Camorra members are pretty young, is that the case?

Simon you can compare the american mafia with the camorrra: in the clan the boys of 10 years are used as sentinels,o transport the drug in the various corners , at 15 years can commit their first murder and 18 may also constitute their paranza or group like La Paranza dei Ragazzini.In the american mafia that was based on a clear hierarchy even if the made men are old they had more thugs to do the dirty work and unlike the camorra the mobsters can decide to don't involve their sons in the life.

The recent Asaro case is a good example. The man himself is over 80 years old but he has young guys to do his dirty work, in this case on of them was John Gotti's grandson..

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/27/nyreg...arson-case.html

Furio I know what you means but I think senior members of american LCN seems to be too old for their business. In Gomorrah, is guy like Malammore comparable to a captain in american families? He seems to be in his 50s, while Ciro looks like younger than 40, and there are guys like OTrak whos much more younger.

Vincent Asaro is a captain so he surely have young guys helping, but what about other old mobsters? Are those 70 year old soldiers still active?

Again,in gomorrah case Don Pietro builted his own clan so Malammore and the other old school men ad at least 50 years,Ciro was a rising star but you can't compare the camorra with the mob because in a clan each trusted man control a zone and had various men under him while in the mob a capo had 10 men under him but don't control a zone.For example Joe Gallo that rebelled against Profaci and some capos went with him but this is an exception not the rules.
For the 70 y soldiers they are semi-retired and had a bunch of thugs for break legs ecc.

The term soldier for a made man is in fact very misleading..

Giovanni Falcone had a fitting analogy when he said that someone who was 'just' a made man, was in fact a general who could lead his own crew of young associates and wannabes. This was the case in Sicily and the US back in the day, how it is today I wouldn't know, there isn't that much known about life in the American Mob in the new Millenium. I think it really depends on the soldier/made man, you have broksters and massive earner out there I'd reckon..

I would imagine there are some made guys that are in their 30's.
I wouldn't think very many but if I had to guess they would be in the Bonanno family. I may be wrong and just going off past reputation but they seem like the family who would make less proven guys.

Fellas, thanks for your answers.
Do you think american mobsters generally are not tough physically? Someone at blackhand forum said that they just like those portrayed in Sopranos, are fat and old and not in good shape for fighting, is this kind of condition really commen among the mobsters?

But isn't that the case everywhere Simon? I can't imagine Toto Riina or Bernardo Provenzano being great fighters.. But that doesn't matter they have the money and the power so they don't have to be UFC caliber fighters. They fought plenty back in the day and those fights were seldom fair, one on one, I'd reckon. They just brought the Lupara and started blasting at their 'opponent'..

Riina and Provenzano fight and killed when was young and however why a old wiseguy should start a fight when can easly use the gun to blow the head of the motherfucker


or as in real life order to his bodyguard to break the legs to those idiot ?

Billy you are right