Here's one thing I always wondered. You often hear about "associates" in the American mafia. For instance the Genovese family has between 200 and 300 "made" members and about 3000 associates - of course, these numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt. We all know associates are not (yet) made or, due to restrictions, won't ever qualify for getting made. I'm left wondering though; who make up the bulk of these associates?

Are they mostly Italian-American criminals who are not yet made and are out to please the made guys? Local businessmen (or maybe even politicians or members of law enforcement) who may not be gangsters themselves, but that are nonetheless corrupted by the gangsters? Members of the mainland Italian crime groups who got transplanted to the USA to get into business with the Americans? Members of other ethnic mobs, street gangs and biker gangs who associate themselves with a few wiseguys? Assorted crooks who aren't a member of any specific crime group that have no chance of getting made, but who decide to work for the Mafia?

It's probably a bit of everything, but does one of these categories have the upper hand in this?