I am sure this has been discussed before but a discussion of the potential administrations in 10 years motivated me to post this.
Would you take a button these days?

It seems like being in the mafia these days almost guarantees that you will spend about 50% of your adult life in federal prison. It seems like it is much riskier than just being a regular old criminal.
Another issue, you have to kick up a percentage of your money to the man upstairs. Now, I realize the original purpose of this was that the fact your button gave you the ability to earn a great deal of money, and as a result, kicking up was just part of the tax of being able to earn what you otherwise wouldent have been able to without the button. Thats why guys sometimes bought buttons.

Is that really even true anymore though? Is the fact your a made guy really going to give you the guarantee or even the ability to make more money than you would have otherwise made?
Even if it is the case, is it really worth the extra money given the fact you could literally "do a dime for jaywalking"?

Anyways, just food for thought.

I don't think I would want to be a made guy in this day and age. It's true that at one time, getting straightened out was a great career move,but with the law enforcement climate and increasing rat infestations, it's an increasingly bad deal. Let's say you run a nice gambling/shy operation,maybe some truck hijacking on the side. No drugs,no unnecessary violence,nothing to arouse the public anger. You get your badge,and naturally you kick up a piece.Things are going good until some nitwit gets popped and is facing 25 to life. Now your little cottage industry becomes a major gambling conspiracy,as evidenced by your tribute to the "Mafia Kingpin" who will be featured on the front page. With the Federal RICO and State racketeering statutes that didn't exist years ago,every crime is a potential Predicate Offense,and as you mentioned can result in a "dime for jaywalking". With hundreds of TV stations,internet sites,podcasts,and who knows what else, an "Organized Crime takedown" will always move front and center in the public's attention span. (And when Law Enforcement budgets come up for review). If possible,I would stay as independent as I could,make as much as I could, and get out when I could.And avoid spitting on sidewalks,because who knows where the next outdoor surveillance cameras will be going.

There was a somewhat similar thread recently concerning getting your button.. I wanted to contribute to it but never did, so I'll address it here.

My answer, in present day and age to the button would be no. I just don't see enough benefit of being made vs. being an associate. Imagine catching a pinch for something relatively small, say bookmaking. If the government can prove you're straightened out, I'd make an educated guess that alone could turn 6 months in the county jail into a 3 or 4 year stay in the can. Who needs that?

We have seen in the last few decades that being made doesn't necessarily provide you anymore "protection" of being killed by a rival, or an insecure boss, compared to being an associate.. just ask those guys that were under Vic and Gas in the 90's, or Scarfo in the 80's. Oh, wait.

Another benefit to being just an associate I see is that if the need be, it would be far easier get out of the life compared to a made guy. You know he ain't walking away. I'm sure they told him the night he got his finger pricked.

I can see some people being brought into a family, and working their way up the ladder and be quite successful.. financially at least. But like you say, you better be ready to spend time in prison. Your family better be ready to plan your funeral at any time. You better have a nice package hidden away somewhere for your wife's mortgage, your kids college fund, the mistress, and for whoever you owe to on the street. Cause the good days don't seem to last forever for 98% of the wiseguys today. Sure associates can have all the consequences described above, but I'd bet the odds are far less.

No! Are you mad?

Very true. I have read a few articles where the Da's purposefully make it clear whether a guy is made or not, for the purpose of giving him a bigger bid. Case in point that guy (forget his name) a few years ago who got "made" at Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention by Russo and others. As soon as that happened the DA put it to the judge so he could take it into account for sentencing. You got to give it to the feds, they really have cracked LCN with a fuckin baseball bat.

Good choice of words,Vin. The RICO statute has been called the prosecutor's "Louisville Slugger". As a sideline,the guy you are thinking of is Ilario "Fat Larry" Sessa. Also made in the can was Mike "Baldy Mike" Spinelli by Casso in the MCC Manhattan bathroom in 1998. I guess they began running out of imaginative nicknames with these two.

Wow, I had never heard about that Casso thing. The worst part for that guy is probably the fact that after he stood up and does his time like a man (when all those casso era guys flipped) he probably wont be treated that well when he comes home. A, Hes gotta deal with the fact he got made in ceremony that may be considered illegitimate by some. B, He got made by Casso, the guy everyone in that family wants to put distance from (not too mention a rat). C, He tried to kill a guys sister.
So much for standing up....

Hell, yes, I would !!!

Yes,because u may died in jail any way

Assuming I had the ability to survive as a criminal in that lifestyle, yeah I would take a button in this day and age. Sure there are no longer any immediate benefits like there may have been 15 years ago, but if you can work your way up the ladder, you can still provide a boat load of cash for future generations, your grandkids and their children.

But Ive worked as a busboy in some front restaurants when I was younger, and never tried to break in with them, because I knew I could never make it.

first you must to have been a criminal your whole life, there is not a book or seminar you attend to learn the life. today murders are very rare, so you may not have to kill or have killed to get in. you know your own metal, you can get punked if others feel or see weakness, you just don't get made, become smart and people throw money at you,, plenty of broke guys in the mob, yes , there are soft guys, those are the guys that are protected by the boss.. but you better bring in a lot of cash.. envy every place..

Like Diabolic,I am a new member on this Board. Part of the fun for me is to hear other points of view and to read the replies to posts that I've made to in order to get a different perspective.I read the reply by Red to Diabolic's last post,and I have to say,I was disappointed and saddened.I don't see the need to be so vitriolic ,and to engage in personal attacks. We're all here to chat about topics that interest us. For a guy to get so viciously bashed after only making his 2nd post is reprehensible.
Diabolic,please don't be discouraged by the behavior of one poster, and focus on the 99.9% positive aspects of this Board.

Where the fuck did this come from?

Thanks for the words of encouragement. It's not my first time on a forum, I've seen plenty of internet tough guys, they don't bother me. If they want to spend their time picking fights.. well what are you gonna do? The moderators do a great job here. I say the same thing to other new (or future) members. Don't let it bother you. The information that comes from the members of this board alone is a great enough reason to follow it. If you can contribute to it, even better.

Only if the {westside} is asking....or for get it..

Of course I wouldn't since I'm no criminal. However, if I grew up an Italian American gangster than yes I would depending on which family it is. No way I'd want to join the Colombos or Bonannos. The other 3 families of NYC I would. They still have enough profitable rackets that it would be worth becoming made. Maybe if I earn enough money and prove I'm capable, I can get in on the labor rackets. Every other family, I'd decline.

Why would someone care about leaving money for a mistress? And if I'm dead, then any debts don't matter.

.
Now that's cold blooded

How? She's nothing compared to family and she's not depending on me to provide.

No disrespect to anyone on here, but no one iv seen post in this thread (with the exception of bronx) understands what a button is about at all.

A $5 billion gambling operation busted in Dallas and the ringleader got 1 year in prison. He'll be out in a few months. If the players had Italian last names, they would be facing a decade in prison or more.

http://planoblog.dallasnews.com/2013/08/...rth-texas.html/

Federal authorities and Plano police announced Thursday that they have broken up a major illegal gambling operation run out of North Texas that collected more than $5 billion in bets over a four-year span.

The investigation into the group lasted more than a decade and resulted in the prosecution of 18 bookmakers, most of whom lived in the Dallas area. The bookies collected bets on sporting events, especially football games. No bettors were prosecuted in the case, authorities said.

Those 18 people prosecuted all live in Texas and most are from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They are believed to have made more than $200 million from 2007 to 2011.

Called The Reed Group, the operation was led by 57-year-old Southlake resident Albert Sydney Reed, authorities said. He has been convicted in federal court of running an illegal gambling business and was sentenced to one year in prison.

come on its a round thing that goes thru a slit in a piece of clothing .now stop showing your guns.

Now what if getting your button involved standing on burning hot coals for 3 minutes, now that would definitley make a man.

Love it

Yeah this is true alot of people think that getting made all of a sudden people are going to give u money.Young guys just dont have rackets,some 60 year old capo who killed spent time in jail isnt going to give a young guy anything unless its his own son.The only way he can make money is by selling drugs and doing scores.Being a tough guy doesnt mean shit because some kid can just pull out a gun and shoot u in the head.1 15 year old kid whos a nerd and can withdraw peoples bank accounts on a computer is more useful than 10 tough guy extortioists

How about the guys who bought their buttons. That's hilarious. everyone knew they did so they had no respect.

I dont know any...But i know those that have and did not want..

Please explain Serpiente.

Robert Luisi Jr. Boston guy Merlino made paid merlino 100k in installments; or at least was supposed to. I suppose since your kickin up anyways everyone pays for a button to some extent.

According to the movie Goddfellas, Billy Bats also paid for his button.