CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. ORGANIZED CRIME- WHAT IS IT, AND CAN IT BE STOPPED? PT 6.

So what are the Major Differences Between the Gangs of Yesterday and Today, 

and MODERN ORGANIZED CRIME?

FIRST, Organized Crime became a REAL FORCE When the Many Ethnic, 

Neighborhood, and Independent Gangs Realized Three Things;

-  That PROHIBITION WAS A DREAM COME TRUE.

-  Making Money was the ONE THING ALL WANTED, 

AND KILLING EACH OTHER WAS COSTING TIME AND

CASH.

-  It is Much Easier to CORRUPT CERTAIN POLITICIANS 

AND OTHERS IN CIVIL AUTHORITY, THEN TO FIGHT THEM.

To go through all the Changes and Characters that Populate the History

of Crime in the U.S during the 19th and 20th Centuries would fill 

Volumes, so I'll stick to some of the More Important Facts and Figures.

It is often Amusing how American History has been Skewed to 

Dramatize the Importance of Outlaw Gangs in the "OLD WEST", as the

Forerunners of Todays Criminal Element.  

Sorry to Destroy this Myth, but while They could be Vicious, Cruel, and as 

Murderous as any other, it was the GANGS CREATED IN THE MAJOR CITIES

OF THE EAST AND MIDWEST THAT GAVE RISE TO MODERN ORGANIZED CRIME. 

GANGS FROM THESE LOCALES WOULD BECOME THE FOUNDATION 

FOR THE LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES

WE HAVE TODAY.

Oh, by the way, if you are Thinking that I am Referring to such"GANGS"

as the "DILLINGERS", "BARKERS", OR ''BONNY AND CLYDE", NOTHING

COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.  

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. ORGANIZED CRIME- WHAT IS IT, AND CAN IT BE STOPPED? PT 5.

So what was the the Real Foundation for the Establishment of Organized Crime in the U.S.? Well, Quite Simply...

...It was the REALIZATION BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD/ETHNIC GANGS, that ONLY VICTIMIZING THOSE WHO; 

-  Lived and Worked in the Same General Area as the ROSTER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO MADE UP THE MEMBERSHIP.

-  Were Part of Their Ethnic Group.

-  Had Limited Economic Resources and 

Employment Opportunities. 

Could not Offer the Guarantee of enough Ill-Gotten Wealth to Satisfy the Greed and Desired Lifestyle of Those who Preferred Using Terror and Force on Innocent Victims, Even IF IT MEANT VICTIMIZING THOSE WHO WERE TRYING TO DO NOTHING MORE THAN SUPPORT AND RAISE A FAMILY.

Why?

The FORMATION OF GANGS AMONG ETHNIC GROUPS

WAS USUALLY THE RESULT OF AN UPSURGE IN NUMBERS

OF IMMIGRANTS, AND THE DIFFICULTY OF EACH GROUP

TO ASSIMILATE INTO A NEW CULTURE, SOMETIMES BECAUSE 

OF THE HOSTILITY AND PREJUDICE FROM NATIVISTS AND

ANTI- IMMIGRATION POLITICIANS, OR ANY GROUP IN POWER WHO 

REFUSED TO SHARE ANY PART OF IT.

These Situations OFTEN RESULTED IN NEWLY ARRIVED 

IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS BEING DENIED FAIR 

OPPORTUNITIES IN EMPLOYMENT, CREDIT OR HOUSING.

So, Just to Survive, They had to Accept Jobs that the 

Resident Population REJECTED or COULD NOT FILL IN

SUFFICIENT NUMBERS.

So any Kind of Real Wealth, Even Through Criminal Activity,

was usually Located in Other Populated Areas and Neighborhoods.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. ORGANIZED CRIME- WHAT IS IT, AND CAN IT BE STOPPED? PT 4.

The First Large Criminal Gangs were founded in the Eastern U.S., and were formed by Two Main Groups;

IRISH IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME TO THE U.S. IN THE EARLY TO MID 1800s. These Formed in the Poorest Sections of Cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Boston etc.

ANTI- IMMIGRANT OR NATIVIST GANGS.  These also formed in the same areas.

Much of the Conflict Between the Two Groups was not only the Country of Origin and Economic Factors, but a Prominent Religious Element that took the Form of AN ANTI- CATHOLIC SENTIMENT AMONG THE NATIVIST GANGS.

Gangs with Names such as:

-  DEAD RABBITS. 

-  WHYOS.

-  BOWERY BOYS.

-  ROACH GUARDS.

Often numbered in the Hundreds. 

They usually Centered Their Activities in and around the Areas and Neighborhoods from which Their members were Drawn From. As is still the case today, Most of Those Victimized by Criminal Activity were from the same Racial, Ethnic and Economic Class as Those who Committed the Illegal Acts.

While these were the First, CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUNDED AND FORMED ALONG RACIAL AND ETHNIC LINES ARE QUITE COMMON IN AMERICAN HISTORY.  In Fact, There is no group Living in the U.S. Today that has not had its Share of ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY FORMED WITHIN THE BODY OF THE POPULATION CONTAINED WITHIN ITS DEFINED PARAMETERS.

THE REASONS FOR THIS SEEMS TO BE ALMOST UNIVERSAL ACROSS RACIAL AND ETHNIC LINES, AS ARE THE REASONS FOR THE SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF THEIR CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES.

ETHICS AND MORALITY. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FORGIVE? PT 4.

IT IS THE IDEA OF JUDGING THE INTENT VS JUDGING THE OUTCOME.

That I Believe, is the Reason there is so much Confusion, Anxiety, and Distress when it comes to the Concept of Forgiveness.

Why?  Consider the Following.

-  WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FORGIVING AN INDIVIDUAL WHO COMMITS AN IMMORAL ACT THAT RESULTS IN CATASTROPHIC NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES, AND ANOTHER PERSON WHO COMMITS THE SAME ACT, WHICH DOES NOT RESULT IN ANY MEANINGFUL HARM TO ANYONE?

-  IS A PERSON WHO SETS OUT TO HURT ANOTHER BY COMMITTING OR PERFORMING CERTAIN ACTIONS, LESS DESERVING OF FORGIVENESS THAN ANOTHER WHO ACTED IN THE SAME MANNER, BUT DID NOT WANT TO CAUSE SUFFERING?

-  IS FORGIVENESS A GIFT YOU GIVE ANOTHER REGARDLESS OF THE PARTICULAR ACT THAT CAUSED UNWANTED PAIN AND SUFFERING?

-  IS GENUINE REGRET, BECAUSE OF AN EMPATHETIC EPIPHANY THAT WAS NOT EXPRESSED EARLIER, A REASON FOR FORGIVENESS?

-  SHOULD YOU FORGIVE ANOTHER, IF THEY ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS?

FINALLY, IF A PERSON CHOOSES NOT TO FORGIVE ANOTHER, CAN THEIR DECISION BE CONSIDERED IMMORAL?