Can the Five Families--one or any of them--ever regain the strength they once had? If so, if it's at all possible, how? What sort of rackets and new strategies should be pursued to revitalize the Families? Let's say, how could we get the Gambino Family to be as large and strong as it was in say, 1975?

No the glory days r gone and never coming back. A lot of there power had to do with their control over the unions, which some of the families(especially the geneveses) still have some influences but its only a small fraction of what it once was. But their control over the major teamster unions are over. They can no longer hold monopolies over entire industries like they did back in the 80s with the concrete and garment industries.

I say no. This younger generation of mamas boys can't deal with any inconveniences like prison. There will be a whole new generation of squealers (Rats) and they will continue the destruction of the mob. Just my opinion

No way the times have changed the RICO act has been here so long and has been so effective and its a new generation

Simple answer: no. Leave it at that

No, for all the reasons everyone else cited. Plus, other ethnic gangs (Russians, West Indians, Chinese, Vietnamese, Albanians, etc.) are skimming the cream of rackets that formerly belonged to the Mafia.

No

Number 1 they pretty much stil have the same union control especially in construction that they always have

The issue is unions aren't near as strong as they once were
Gambling has been legalized alot of places
Porn is on the Internet
Loan sharking Is credit cards payday loans etc etc

Personally I think the Genovese family has taken over a lot of rackets from the other ny families like certain contractors la quilla. The ny post etc etc


And the recruitment pool even in ny while maybe as large as it once was isn't in the city
So kids don't watch the wiseguys making the moves
And wanna grow up and be the real wiseguys like Tino fuimara
They want to be reel wiseguys like tony soprano

the post is still the bonannos no? they have the deliverers union which is DN and the post.

In addition to the reasons listed above, other reasons include the fact that law enforcement would never allow it and urban politics and policing having changed.

With the Feds having 10 agents to look over 700-800 members and thousands of associates they have a shot.

No,that was golden age,but they can become really powerful in the cases of big economic crisis or big war etc.(i hope that doesn't happen)

they're probably gonna use other agencies to chase the ny mafia

or the ny mafia doesn't have as many members as estimated

or the ny mafia cut a deal with the feds to back off

Yeah the nysd ( sanataion dept ) they are gonna start to lead the mob investigations in ny.

I hate to say it but cook county is techinically sort of right(not the obviously retarded statement about ny cutting a deal). But in the nypd there is the organized crime control bureau(occb) that also investigates the mafia. I believe the latest bannano bust of nicky mouths crew was carried out by the occb.

It's actually 25-35 agents. And that's not counting other law enforcement agencies.

FBI nypd and all other government and state agencies #1,2, and 3 goal is terrorists. Nypd true they have a oc taskforce but that's only in the 5 boroughs in Long Island westchester jersey they can't do anything and for the nypd to get any help from local law enforcement agency's that aint gonna happen that will just lead to a pissing match. You can't get the FBI CIA state department to work together on matters of national security. You think nypd is going to get Suffolk pd or Nassau pd cooperation. Less scrutiny from law enforcement and better leadership should make the families stronger genovese are well lead already I think the other families have a shot except the columbos untill junior goes ain't no fixing them.

FBI Cuts Mob Busting Agents Again; Down 60% Since 2008



Memo to Big Frank, Bowat and Stevie Wonder: Relax. That woman you saw the other day who looked out of place probably wasn't an FBI agent. Neither was the guy who eyeballed you near your house. And don't worry about that suspicious-looking car that pulled up alongside you last week – or fret about using your cell phone, for that matter.

The FBI now has only three agents assigned to cover the entire Luchese crime family, Gang Land has learned. You may be old-school mobsters who made a vow never to give up The Life, but agents have little interest in onetime underboss Frank (Big Frank) Lastorino, or former acting boss Anthony (Bowat) Baratta – or even the borgata's current boss, Steven (Stevie Wonder) Crea.

It can be if our infamous poster Cook County is made Boss of the Genovese Family so he can cut a deal with the FEDS. Anyway, that's the way I see it.

Yes the mafia has definately gotten stronger since 9/11 when the fbis main priority became terriorism, but as evidenced by the historic bust of january 2011 that the feds r gonna let the mafia grow so much before they close back in on them. And also the recent santora crew case i referenced above proves that the nypd occb can be effective against the mob

Your 100%. Lets put it this way if the nypd or lapd has 4000 officers out on the streets then they cut down to 400 how effective do you think they can be.

Yes i can agree that depleted resources(budget cuts) and manpower is gonna make it an uphill battle for law enforcement.

+1

Next.

Dellacroce you don't think with the rite guys in the leadership positions some of these families can get stronger. Especially with less eyes on em

Yes i agree and for the most part at the moment all the families have their leaderships pretty much intact, and these guys r never gonna give up and stop scheming. all im trying to say is that the feds r only going to take a hands off approach for so long before they close back in.

No are joking then the wise guys will just make another deal with the Feds. Fucken unreal. Smh

It seems like the intent of Ray Kelly is to put a camera on every square inch of NY city. It is hard to convey to people outside NY how "locked down" it really is. There isn't much chance of any crime wave, much less a mob resurgence. It has all become very controlled.

It is also hard to convey much it WASN'T like that when the mob flourished.

I think the only thing that could bring it back would be an immigration wave from Italy. And that ain't happenin.

What I think is that they have established a status quo. The feds know that they can never completely annihilate organized crime. If they destroy the New York Mafia other groups will simply fill the vaccuum. Better to have an established organization that they know to be in charge to some degree and maintain order within the underworld than lesser known foreign groups.

That big bust in early 2011 was just for the show in order to justify to the public why they would reduce the number of FBI squads dedicated to fight the Five Families. And the Mafia probably realises not to become too opportunistic and exploit the situation, because it can change back to what it was within a heart beat.

On one hand, you don't really see law enforcement officials making those rosy predictions about destroying the mob in another 5 years like they did back in the 1980's and 1990's. At least in New York, they appear to have realized this is going to take a lot longer than some expected.

On the other hand, they've had to reevaluate their priorities over the past decade. Not just in regards to terrorism in the wake of 9/11; but also in regards to transnational organized crime, which has become the Justice Department's #1 priority in that area.

From 1986 to 2010, convictions involving La Cosa Nostra was 78%, while convictions involving emerging organized crime groups was 22%. However, since 9/11, from 2002 to 2010, convictions involving La Cosa Nostra has been 60%, while convictions involving emerging organized crime groups has been 40%.

In short, it seems like the "status quo" the feds have settled with, at least for now, is to simply use the minimal (some would argue too minimal) manpower needed to keep the mob in check. Keep the indictments coming, keep the mob from regaining a lot of influence, while waiting for attrition to take it's toll.

Im wondering

the comment about ny cutting a deal was sarcasm