Ivy attrition won't take it's toll in this situation NYC still has a very large recruitment base.
The Italian Americans who are in their 20's and 30's today are almost all 3rd and 4th generation. There are plenty of them, but most of them want better things in life. There are more Italian American college graduates in this country than any of the other other Western European immigrant groups (except the for Wasps, and they really don't count as immigrants). So why should they choose crime? Unless that's all you think Italians are good for?
The recruitment base is dwindling, Joe, and attrition IS taking its toll on the mob in NYC, whether you want to believe it or not. I'm not one of these guys who gets on his geographical high horse and mocks out of towners, but living in Cape Cod all your life you have no idea what these neighborhoods looked like 30 years ago compared to today.
The mob will always be around because crime will always be around. But it will never be what it used to be.
What I think is that they have established a status quo. The feds know that they can never completely annihilate organized crime. If they destroy the New York Mafia other groups will simply fill the vaccuum. Better to have an established organization that they know to be in charge to some degree and maintain order within the underworld than lesser known foreign groups.
That big bust in early 2011 was just for the show in order to justify to the public why they would reduce the number of FBI squads dedicated to fight the Five Families. And the Mafia probably realises not to become too opportunistic and exploit the situation, because it can change back to what it was within a heart beat.
That's exactly right, Sonny. The wiseguys know that things aren't so bad right now, but if they test the feds with murders and an aggressive rebuilding they'll be grabbing a tiger by the tail. So why rock the boat?
And besides, just because the feds put out stories in the media stating that they're easing up on the mob doesn't mean anything. They could be giving them a false sense of security. I don't trust the government as far as I can throw them. Also, they don't need nearly as many agents today because of the advances in electronic surveillance. If a guy as brash as Gotti became boss today they'd put him away even faster.
