FGLC 60102—26/10/2004—KATHIR—124361

Global Crime Vol. 6, No. 1, February 2004, pp. 8–18

North American Organised Crime
Jay S. Albanese

The Italian– American mafia is one of the most enduring images of organised crime, but separating fictional images of organised crime from the real thing has not been easy. Overall, organised crime is a continuing criminal enterprise that rationally works to profit from illicit activities that are often in great public demand. Its continuing existence is maintained through the use of force, threats, monopoly control, and/or the corruption of public officials. The past 20 years have seen a decline in the influence of Italian –American organised crime in the US, but this has been offset by the rise of other forms of organised crime, not least groups from the former USSR. Meanwhile, the Canadian underworld is dominated by Asian groups, East European groups, Italian groups, and outlaw motorcycle gangs. The major organised crime groups in Mexico are extended networks composed of Mexican nationals living in Mexico, Mexican-Americans, and Mexican immigrants living in the United States, operating as competing networks in the illicit drug business from supply, to transit, to destination and buyers. Keywords: Organised Crime; United States; Canada; Mexico; Cosa Nostra

The Italian– American mafia is one of the most enduring images of organised crime—and the image often does not distinguish fact from fiction. Consider that the best-selling book about crime in US history is The Godfather, a novel, and the movie version is still one of the top grossing films of all time. Likewise, an HBO television program begun in the late 1990s, The Sopranos, offered another extremely popular depiction of the life of a mafia family. The show spawned a market for video and DVD versions of old episodes, and a ‘Sopranos Tour’ that takes tourists to cemeteries, docks, and stores featured in the series. A sporting goods store, Ramsey Outdoor, was forced into