The Italian Mob: 5 Reason for Their Downfall

  1. Lengthy prison sentences.
Back in the day spending a 3 year bit in prison for things such as assault and extrusion was nothing for a gangster. But now with new laws and the common breaking of the no selling drugs rules that the mob has, but does not enforce, it's not unheard of to be facing 10 to 30 years if your crimes are attached to the RICO act. Worst off that's on the light side, 60 to life is more of a fitting sentence for being involved in a continuing criminal conspiracy.



2. Prison ain't what it used to be.
Let's say you bit the bullet and take one for the team. Back in the days doing a nickel or a dime in prison was like heading out to the country club for a little bit. If you're lucky enough to get your hands on some pictures of mobsters in prison before the 80's, you would notice big smiles, grommet meals, wine, cigars and smiling faces. The Italian mob ran the prisons so it was like going to a country club. Nowadays it's ran by the guards and street gangs. Italian mobster or not, you get a small cell and crappy food just like everyone else. Even John Gotti took a beating on the inside by the Aryan Brotherhood: they had no problem with saying, those mobsters may run the outside, but we run the inside.

3. You and your family will not be taken care of.
One of the rules of the Mob is that if you are a stand up guy and go do your prison term like a man your family will be watched over and taken care of. Nowadays if you head off to prison you and your family are all alone. Not only that, but whatever you did to earn money will be taken over by your so called brothers with no kick backs to you or your family, not even your wife is consider yours and off limits. 

4. Technology
Obviously, technology has thrown a few curve balls at the mob. Security, computers, alarm systems, international data bases, face recognition software are just some of the things that get in the way of not just the Mob but all criminals and criminal organizations alike. 



5. Loyalty and Honor 
These are two words a "Made" man needs to live by, but when bosses are being whacked, Made men disappear, families fight families and snitches (turn coats) are a dime a dozen, a life in the mob just doesn't sound so great. But what does sound great, "The Witness Protection Program". The truth is, contrary to what movies and television shows would like you to believe about low level mobsters, which make up for most of the Mob, most of then don't even make as much as an average factory or office worker. Picking up and leaving the mob life; not that hard.