You're exactly right about almost every aspect of lcn with the exception of a few of the ny families. Once the old time leadership and values are gone, your family turns into a drug trafficking network and that's when it all falls apart. The young guys are in this only for two reasons. 1. they are just attempting to do what their fathers and gradfathers did for the only reason other than to make a little money without getting their hands dirty. 2. they are wannabes and are a direct result of hollywood movies.

Most, and I mean in the upper 80% of the current guys a part of this have no idea what they're doing. Even more so, anyone younger than 35 in this thing grew up with MTV and nintendo, and is, in my mind, putting up a fake image of themselves. Look at the indictments, they all revolve around drugs which is the easiest and most juvenile way to make money. The rest of the indictment are failed attempts at extortion , shylocking,and rackets.
Once the old guys are gone, it will systematically collapse. The government knows it and attacks it in such a way. We always used to joke how everyone wants to be a tough guy until things get tough. That's is the reality of the new blood. Be something in life, someone said this in an earlier post but the government hates competition.