ya over the past century they have established their reputation for violence, so now more or less they can just coast off their reputation.

like pizza said its a catch 22, if a guy owes you money of course you want him to pay you back but you don't want the guy so scared that if he can't pay you back that he'd rather run to the cops then take a beating. thats why sometimes you hear off a guy who can't pay his gambling debts simply getting caught off rather then someone go after him with a baseball bat.