]This is the leadership of the New England Mafia, a skeleton of the organization glorified in novels and in Hollywood. No more than 30 made, or sworn-in, members make up an organization that in its heyday was more than 100 strong, law enforcement officials say.

This is very true and the comment about the younger guys addicted to drugs and old guys off in jail hits it on the head. the ratting is a big problem then mob has been facing ever sense sammy the bull its become a mob epidemic. You and I both know the numbers doesnt mean much its just means they're TRYING to keep quality of quanitiy like these street gangs. There are plenty of qualified "mob" guys to be made theyre just very sceptical to make them. Numbers are low but power is still significantly high. They'll always be around, guys will get made crews and families will be re-built.