ITALIAN ORGANIZED CRIME

Italian Organized Crime



Italian Organized Crime

Introduction

The Italian Carollo family plays a powerful role in Italy, taking advantage of weak government and the fractious relationship between the PS and the Carabinieri. Some analysts argue that until World War II, the Mafia essentially complemented the power of the state in protecting against crime, repressing nonconformist behavior, and mediating in societal conflicts. During and after World War II, the Mafia were relied upon by Allied forces to prevent a rise in communism, and the postwar Italian government tolerated violent Mafia tactics when official police were unable to control a crime situation in Sicily (Raab, 2006).

Since World War II, the Carollo family internationalized and trafficked in drugs and arms, money laundering, protection rackets, and kidnappings. Corruption led to the infiltration of the Mafia into all ranks of government. It was alleged that the Mafia's 1982 murder of then Carabinieri General Dalla Chiesa was ordered to protect then Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. (Andreotti was eventually acquitted of charges of involvement in organized crime.)

Police action against the Mafia has been a constant battle. One important measure taken in 1965 allows suspects of Mafia-related crimes to be placed under special surveillance. Legislation introduced in 1982 allowed individuals associated with a criminal organization to be detained; the burden of proof was the suspect's habitual involvement in crime. In addition, witness protection programs and asset-seizure initiatives were established in the 1990s to assist prosecutors. Laws against money laundering have enforced the reporting and investigation of suspicious financial transactions (Powell, 2002).

Luciano became a celebrity, dwelling in high style and having celebrity pals such as player George Raft and singer Frank Sinatra. His gangster good status apprehended up with him in 1936, when special prosecutor (and subsequent New York's governor) Thomas E. Dewey ascribed Luciano with 62 counts of compulsory prostitution. Luciano was convicted and sentenced to a smallest of 30 years in prison. In February of 1946 Governor Dewey struck a deal that released Luciano from prison and deported him to Italy (the legend is that throughout World War II Luciano used his contacts to assist the U.S. government battle the Nazis). Luciano, who had not ever lost his position as misdeed boss, even in prison, popped up in Cuba in 1947 and was afresh deported to Italy by U.S. officials. As he elderly, his leverage in the world of coordinated misdeed waned, but his celebrity status as one of the most flamboyant and creative criminals in up to date history remained. He past away of a heart strike in 1962 (Klerks, 2005).

Luciano is said to have conceived a assembly of professional assassins renowned as Murder, Inc.... After he past away, Luciano was permitted back into the Italy: he is entombed at St. John's cemetery in New York City.

A Natural Leader

Luciano soon had a gang of strong Italian boys next him. He educated his gang the "protection" racket, and they spent their time assembling pennies from localized Jewish boys who paid to hold from getting trounce ...