can someone give a brief definition of each rank - capo, button, wiseguy, etc. no links, just definitions.

use the search button, i'll give you brief...

Associate, button, capo, underboss/consigliere(sp?), Boss

Boss- head of the crew
Consigliere- adviser
Caporegime- lieutenant in the mob
Made guy- an official member of the mob
Associate- a member of the crew who is not a Made Guy
>hope this helps DV.

GoodFella

thanks, its exactly what i need.

Theres normally an UNDERBOSS to he is jsut basically the guy to take over from the don.
I heard about right hand men aswell i reckon they are just advisers.

Here is a better way to explain the ranks. I found them at a cool Mob website.

Capo Crimini (Super Boss):
The most powerfull boss in the world. I doubt this is used at all, except for maybe the media.

Capo Di Tutti Capi (Boss of Bosses) :
The Capo Di Tutti Capi is the most influencial Don of all the Dons. This position is no longer used really, except for who the public thinks is the most powerfull figure in organized crime. The Capo Di Tutti Capi normally heads the Cupola (Commission) meetings where all the Dons meet to discuss inter family disputes, war/peace, rackets, and territories.

Capo / Don / "Godfather"(Boss):
The Don is the head of the family, no one can call the shots over his decisions. He is also only 1 of 2 people who can initiate someone into the family. Since his rank gives him the authority to give the oath to new members and make them sgarrista.. He also has the authority to give people their positions and ranks.

Sotto Capo / Capo Bastone (Underboss):
The Underboss is appointed by the Don. He is the second in command of the entire operation. He is usually the leader of "day-to-day" functions..Hes the muscle on the street. His word should go unchallenged by everyone except the don. He is basicly the top dog when it comes to the work on the street. The Don goes to him for "orders" and "jobs". He is also to see to it that the Caporegimes stay in check. Underboss is the only other person who has the authority to swear in new members, but he must report them to the don.

Consigliere(Counselor / Advisor):
The Consigliere is voted by the whole family(made members). In theory, the consigliere is the same rank as the underboss. Yet the consigliere has no power in the "day-to-day" operations. He is only there to advise and sometimes question. He is the equal rank of underboss but does not have the authority to give any orders. His job is to advise on all of the don's decisions and some of the underboss's. He is the only one in the family who is allowed to speak his mind on all important matters and even question the don, yet can not override him.

Caporegime(s) (Crew boss / Captain / Capo / Lieutenant):
A Caporegime is appointed by the Don, and is in charge of his own borgata(regime, or crew). Which is made up of a Capodecine and soldiers. Each Capo reports directly to the Underboss or Advisor for permission to do different things. When someone is needed to be "taken care of" the capo's are usually asked to carry out the order. They are the head of "day-to-day" operations of their own crews. The capo heads a crew of any given number of soldiers. These soldiers give the Capo part of their earnings, and the Capo gives part up to the Underboss or Advisor. Caporegimes are also the ones who may ask and recomend certain men to be sworn into their crews. When this happens they must ask the underboss or the don himself. In a sense, crew boss's are head of the "Street Side Gangs".

Sgarrista / Soldato (High Soldier / Soldier / Wiseguy / Button / Buttonman / Goodfella):
The Sgarrista is "made" into the family by the Don or Underboss after being voted for by the captains and up. One of the biggest honors in La Cosa Nostra(This Thing Of Ours) is to be initiated into a family. When you take the oath and our sworn in under the blessing of either the underboss or the don himself, you become a "Sgarrista"(Soldier) and you are a "Made Man". When you are "made" which is taking the oath, you become a part of the family, you become one of us. Even though you are one of the lowest rank in the "real" family, you still have alot of power over associates and friends. You are assigned into a crew and given a capodecine. From then on, your captain and\or caporegime will give you orders and jobs. When your a soldier..You are commonly mentioned as "a friend of ours".

Picciotto(Low Soldier):
The Picciotto is "made" into the family by the Don or Underboss after voted by the captains and up. Sometimes this position is not used. When you are "made" you attain the rank of picciotto, which is the rank of soldier(read the definition of sgarrista)..but lower class soldier. When you show that you are a good earner, and buisinessman you will attain the rank of sgarrista ). I don't think this is used at all, except maybe in the sicilian mafia, i am not totaly sure.

Giovane D'Honore Associates(Non-Made Members / "A friend of mine" / Associate):
When your a "made man", or any other rank for that matter, you may have buisiness dealings or partnerships with non-made people. These are "associates" commonly refered to as "friends of mine" when mentioned in buisiness meetings. So the bottom line is all non-made people who have dealings with the family, are associates\friends. They have no power in the family.
There can be "members" who are not "made" into the family.. They can not attain any other rank until they are "made". They are just guys who run with the crews in day-to-day operations, normally working for a soldier.

good post B_o_B! congrats on becoming capo!

mick

shit, thanks alot!

Thanks to, answered a few questions of mine.

Great job B_o_B!
Where did you find this info?

One thing: I was under the impression that Capo Crimini (literally means "Head/Boss of crimes") and Capo Di Tutti Capi (Boss of Bosses) Is the exact same thing, but I might be wrong.

Also, I believe that a "Lower Soldier" is called Piciottu.
Sorry about my nitpicking on sicilian spelling

Fantastic BOB,you did a great job!

Well I would like to Thank you all for the comments. I am also glad that I was to be of good help to you guys. I found this Mob website at Yahoo. I Just put in "MAFIA RANKS" and then I searched the sites that best describes that ranks and came across this one and it has the best details of the Mob.

I am still looking for it at the moment

WOW Boss_of_bosses

that is exactly what I was looking for!!!!!!!!!

what website was that?

I am also looking for pictures of all the cast from the Godfather but specifically I need everyone who worked for the family i.e. Michael, Vito, Freddo, Sonny, Tom, Tessio, Clemenze, Cicci, Neri, Rocco, Carlo Rizzi, Pentangeli, etc

I am doing a rank hierarchial tree of the Corleone family so I need pictures and descriptions of everyones rank.

Thank you very much. Your descriptions are helpful, because I'm a fairly new fan of The Godfather.

Jago

thanks for the descriptions

My Organized Crime professor described it exactly the way that Boss_of_bosses did, except that he switched Capo Crimini and Capo de Tutti Capi.

He described it as Capo Crimini (often referred to as simply "Capo") is the Don, or the Godfather, of the family.

The Capo de Tutti Capi, meanwhile, is the Boss of all Bosses. He is the main guy over all of the families.

The Capo de Capi is a very hard position to attain because Bosses don't like being told that they have to report to another Boss.

The first declared Capo de Tutti Capi was Salvatore Maranzano after he won the Castellammarese War. Even though he declared himself Capo de Capi, he really didn't last long enough to earn the title and was soon killed by Charles "Lucky" Lucciano, who became the first real Boss of Bosses.

Lucciano was successful because he never actually declared himself as the Capo de Capi. But he was pretty much recognized as the man in Organized Crime after defeating Maranzano and establishing the Commission, also known as La Cosa Nostra.