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John Gotti, nicknamed the “Teflon Don” because of his
ability to elude prosecution. He was eventually convicted
and died in prison of cancer.
?How do the “Dons” obtain and maintain their
power?
but not bureaucratic. For example, Ianni noted
that kinship played a significant role in the recruitment
of crime family members but that expertise
was also a factor. 21 Albini stressed the cohesive nature
of the patron–client relationship as a central
element in family formations. 22 An individual’s connections
enable him to get things done — the social
network. 23 These roles shift depending on the
nature of the transaction and the ability of the individual
to meet obligations.
Mark Haller maintains that organized crime families
often act in the same manner as organizations
such as the Rotary Club. They can provide members
with contacts, mutual assistance, and partnership
opportunities. 24 Similarly, Alan Block has argued
that the conspiracy model must be abandoned. The
term illegal enterprise should be used in place of organized
crime. 25 Instead of following strict organizational
lines, families are decentralized. The boss
must be consulted, not only out of respect, but also
because he can make schemes work and provide
protection. For example, “Donnie Brasco” (an undercover
FBI agent who infiltrates the Mafia in the
1997 movie by the same name) details the steps that
he had to take to start a vending machine operation
in the territory of Milwaukee crime family boss
Frank Balistrieri. Although the final deal never materialized,
Brasco had to arrange to pay tribute
money to Balistrieri before any plans could be put
in place. 26 All members are permitted to engage in
any type of money-making activity, as long as the
boss receives tribute. 27 Small, fragmented enterprises,
not large corporate syndicates, tend to dominate
illegal markets. 28
These values may, of course, contradict one another
and thereby set up inconsistencies in Mafia
behavior. For example, the traditional notion is that
Mafia dons were disinterested in drug trafficking,
regarding it as too dangerous and as intolerable
to the public. This position allowed these gangsters
to engage in moral posturing. Nevertheless, there is
strong evidence of long and deep Mafia involvement
in drug sales. Family leaders were unable to
keep their associates out of this large, lucrative
market. Moreover, as Peter Lupsha noted, such organized
crime luminaries as Charles “Lucky” Luciano
and Vito Genovese had official criminal
records for heroin trafficking. Luciano started the infamous
“French Connection” heroin route to the
United States. Many dons who opposed drug sales
tried to keep their people out of it through threats
(Bonanno) or bribes (Accardo). 29 In fact, Capeci
states that Joseph Bonanno used his legitimate
businesses in the United States, Canada, and Haiti
to smuggle heroin and make millions of dollars
with his partner, Carmine Galante. 30 Others, such
as Philadelphia’s Angelo Bruno, franchised the drug
trade to others, such as the Greeks and motorcycle
gangs (the Outlaws). Lupsha contends that
Mafia dominance of the drug market faded with the
drop in demand for heroin. 31 Obviously, the Mafia
will not simply abandon the drug trade for moral
or any other reason while consumer demand and
vast profits remain.
The Mafia: La Cosa Nostra
The Mafia (also known as “La Cosa Nostra”) offers
a powerful and recurring image of crime in Amer-
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