What sort of brain trust exists in the Cosa Nostra of the past 3-4 decades that would know how to find people that the government didn't want to be found?
Even if they could do things like that in order for it to be a deterrent, it would have to be very loud and very public so that everyone would know who got taken out and why they got taken out.
That would embarass the government and make them that much more aggressive in going after the Mob. The short term gain wouldn't be worth the long term cost. Not to mention that personal self-interest dictates that the people who took over when some boss or captain went down might not want to risk their own liberty to make a point-especially if as is quite possible they didn't even like the guy whose job they now have.
RICO and Witness Protection make it a losing game for the people at the top. The smart folks would have gone corporate-legitimate-much like the theme repeated in Puzo's books. Less hassle and probably more money.
I agree. As I said to Vinny, I could see someone who had a close friend or family member put away for life holdiong a grudge to perhaps go after a rat but for the most part I think the guys are way too greedy to risk life imprisonment and spend their resources going after a rat. Not to say that it would be wise for a guy like D'Arco or Sammy the Bull to hanging out in Bensonhurst. I could however see the mob implementing a rule that family members are fair game if you turn rat though. I think that would detour alot of would be turn coats.
