How does it work, do they have the same type of hierarchy as cosa nostra ?
Much more horizontal than pyramidal.. various clans usually but not necessarily related by blood have alliances based on opportunities that come along. There's blood once in a while and some clans die off, others are solidified. It's not based on "honor and loyalty" crap, it's all business and opportunity, so unless they're bound by blood, alliances could change at any minute.
A different situation was with Raffaele Cutolo: he was the absolute boss of the whole organization, but it didn't include the whole camorra.
As for Raffaele Cutolo, he pretty much created a "New Organized Camorra" (Nuova Camorra Organizzata) which was based mostly on the structure of the Cosa Nostra, except that every "associate" was supposted to be a killer first. At its peak was 3000-man strong with Cutolo as the (incarcerated) boss, his sister Rosetta as the messenger and some key lieutenants with various roles.
He declared war on the old Camorra which pretty much united against him in an alliance called Nuova Famiglia (New Family) The war went on for a few years and if I'm correct it left about 1000 corpses.
I've said it before, even though these boards are mainly about the American Cosa Nostra, but everybody should read about Raffaele Cutolo. He was one of the most charismatic and interesting (to learn about) mobsters ever in my opinion. I think Wild Bill Cutolo has been proven to be a relative of his.
