The reason for the lack of new recruits into the mafia is simple. Here's the reason in a nut shell. The Immigration Act of 1965 (sponsored by Ted Kennedy) immediately ended immigration practices and laws that were lenient to European (both western and eastern) countries and gave preference to Asian and African countries. Thus limiting the Italians from coming over and filling in the communities where the Italians were moving up and out of. Eventually enough moved out (1990s), not enough moved in and other groups filled in the empty spaces. So the recruiting pool ended, the majority moved out and ended the street kids and pool of talent. Nothing else in my opinion hurt the mob more in the this regard. Feel free to research the immigration act and if you disagree post your thoughts. So, I believe that's the number reason. Remember that throughout the years the Mob bosses all moved their families out of the Italian ghettos, the may have worked and hung out in them but they raised their families out of them. They always had new immigrant families with sons who admire them and wanted to be them. That scene vanished and eventually 30-35 years later poof, no legitimate talent left. Just soft wannabes from the suburbs. There I said my piece for the day!

Sorry for typos, but I think I made my point

Probably correct,. but was it a preference for non-europeans or a level playing field?
Was there no culture of marrying girls/ boys from' back home'?.

Also, did the Gottis, Michael Franzese, Leonittis ( them types) have any " south Italian"
mentality or were they normal Americans by then?

Tell me about it, God forbid Italians assimilate over the years and no longer have to resort to lives of crime.

Yes. College, not the Mob, is the destination of choice for ambitious young Italian-Americans.

Yep, especially trade schools. I think I have seen more Italian Lineman, Plumbers, Electricians, Mechanics, Millwrights in the past decade than my whole life.