Cosa Nostra: The Final Chapter?

Abstract

An unprecedented law enforcement attack, coupled with new civil and regulatory organized crime control strategies, leaves the survival of the Italian organized crime families in doubt. Although the families in different cities operate, for the most part, independently, their internal composition is consistent. They are characterized by a rigid hierarchical structure and an extreme emphasis on secrecy. Cosa Nostra can be distinguished from other organized crime groups, including recently developing Asian and Russian gangs in the United States and most domestic youth gangs, by its focus on infiltration of businesses and domination of such legitimate enterprises over sustained periods, in addition to its involvement in various illicit activities and markets. However, in some countries, including Russia and parts of Eastern Europe, where organized crime participates in both legal and criminal markets, the U. S. experience with Cosa Nostra may offer clues to promising control techniques. First, it is imperative to act quickly in response to developing organized crime syndicates. Second, electronic surveillance, both wiretaps and bugs, is a necessary and serious impediment to the operation of organized crime groups. Third, a successful attack on organized crime cannot be a short-term campaign.