Abstract
This chapter presents a four-part typology of explanations of organized crime: positivistic, classical, structural, and ethical. The biography of Henry Hill, an organized crime figure, is used in each section of this chapter to demonstrate how these explanations may be applied in actual cases. The life of Bill Bonanno, described at the beginning of this chapter, offers another useful case study to apply these explanations. His father was a well-known target of police and was under surveillance for many years, increasing the odds that Bill Bonanno would be caught if he followed in his father’s “family business.” At the same time, Bonanno was educated and had opportunities for legitimate success that he chose not to pursue. Bonanno’s life illustrates how positivist and classical explanations of crime have difficulty accounting for his criminal choices and how an ethical perspective adds a needed dimension to understanding how criminal decisions are made and how they might be prevented.
Published Version
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