In some cities it died out because there weren't many Italians, but in Buffalo there's quite abit, plus alot of influence from Canada which has a crap ton of Italians, many of whom came not that long ago. Sure some sons become a lawyer or something, but some simply aren't cut out for that kinda life and want to get into the life. And there's tons of money to be made in buffalo, most of it from things like drug money or even into "legitimate" things, which Buffalo guys have long been entrenched in unions and the like. The buffalo family can offer these young guys these connections and a greater network of people, plus the vestige of being la Cosa nostra. Maybe they don't get a weekly kickup, just a nice Busta at Christmas time and a bigger cut of certain businesses