I dont think I agree with you Ivy. First of all, he defined viable for you, so with all due respect, lets employ his standard. Secondly, the whole "organizational framework" argument leaves a little to be desired given the low standard the feds have employed with respect to that.
They have used it against extremely disorganized prostitution operations by the Crips in California and the only "organizational" element there was the prostitute (soldier) and the pimp (the captain). Lets be real, they throw rico out there many if not all times to achieve sentencing enhancements.
So, to circle back, you are employing a much different framework than my friend little nicky. Because, if we are using yours, then yes, Detroit is a viable family, because there are surely 5 or 10 guys out there hustlng and reporting to somebody. Hell, by that definition we might as well revitalize the Los Angeles, Kansas City, Milwaukee and Buffalo families.
Well, this is the very thing that causes disagreements here in the first place - people making up their own definition of viable. Hell, I've seen some even argue a few guys still alive constitutes a family. As far as I'm concerned, there's the RICO definition, which not coincidentally, coincides with the families that are still recognized by the feds. Not some arbitrary number of 20 or whatever.
As for RICO, it essentially only needs those two basic requirements. And if other families outside of those 9 or 10 I listed can't even meet that "low standard," well, that gives everyone their answer.
