Assignment.4 - The Daddy

Assignment.4

The book “Eminent Gangsters: Immigrants and the Birth of Organized Crime in America” by James Fentress played a key role in reading and learning about how crime works in America.
The purpose of the book was to show how Americas most influential and acclaimed best organised crime group in America evolved. Aside from this, it discusses the central and significant chapter in the social and economic history of modern America and how crime effected it. If the story of the eminent gangsters is not the orthodox or a rags-to-riches American success story, neither can it be dismissed as merely a crime story. It argues that it was more of a beginning of an important movement in American crime.

The author initially begins the book with the most important information in understanding the Mafia; their Sicilian roots. In doing this, he starts discussing major figures in American crime of the early 20th century and mainly references to one of the most influential mobsters , Charles “Lucky” Luciano who was born in Salvatore Lucania; November 24, 1897.The authors main question about Luciano was whether or not he was the father of modern organized crime in America for splitting New York City into five different Mafia crime families and the establishment of the first commission. Also, another purpose in using Lucky was to show how links began amongst different cultures in American crime . This would eventually lead to stronger opinions and varying attitudes towards different minorities in the country. Particually the Jewish society when discussing Lucky as the author describes how he met the well-known Jewish gangster Meyer Lansky in his teenage years and became life-long friends with him. Fentress uses this friendship smartly in introducing the point that even though they may have been friends, Luckys strong Sicilian roots meant that being a Roman catholic he could never really trust a Jew or any other culture outside his “Family”.

Fentress uses the straightforward approach in showing how the Mafia worked by using historical events, even reproducing its dialogue. For instance, on page 393 a direct conversation from “The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano” is used between a lawyer and Lucky Luciano in discussing the relationships amongst the different Mafia families in America. The quotation “I hope you appreciate that the lion is supposed to be the king of animals" played a key role in understanding a main point of the book; the boss of the family has the overall power and should not be questioned. Fentress used varied methods in showing the main purposes of his book . He used key figures in developing ideas on how relationships and statuses amongst The Mafia families would form and add strength to the world of Americas organised crime . Overall , the books main question was clear; was the birth of the five Mafia families the most pivotal movement in the rise of Americas organised crime?

The online Journal “America's Wire Releases - Exclusive Article Citing Impact of Black Prosecutors Across the Country” shows good further thinking into Americas world of crime as it portrays the opposite side of the story in a way which is not often discussed. Also, it raises a lot of important questions on the cultures and upbringing behind the crime as it looks more into the prosecutors side of things rather than the offenders.

The journals main resource is from the large American news report organisations PR Newswire and US Newswire which are both reliable sources when researching into current updates on the American justice system. Initially the journal briefly informs you on the basic fact that in several American communities, black and other ethnic prosecutors are transforming how crime is addressed, people are prosecuted and how normally punishment against crime is associated with the white race. The main point of this journal goes against what is said in “The Broken Window Theory” from the “Bernie Goetz and the Rise and Fall of New York City Crime” chapter in the book “The Tipping Point” . This theory believes that crime has very little to do with psychology , background and poverty but is simply a result of bad behaviour and that crime is contagious that can start with a broken window and spread to a whole community. However, this journal portrays how these black prosecutors are working inside non-white communities trying to change the upbringing and discipline of young Americans. This means obviously the American Justice system does believe in a good upbringing in playing the most crucial factor of preventing the “contagious” crime within communities. The journal uses secondary sources to answer its key questions. For example, the article by the award winning reporter Marjorie Valbrun is used for proof on the impact non-white prosecutors are having in communities. It describes how during the Californian election, the state of San Francisco’s district attorney Kamala Harris for a long period of time managed a small lead as ballots were being counted. She is of African American and Asian descent. This shows the extent of the quality of work these prosecutors are producing.

The journals main purpose was to prove how the colour of your skin has nothing to do with why the crime has been committed and that this is only an aspect of our racist society. This is summed up and clarified nicely by the reference from Michael K. Frisby, president of America's Wire - “Stories on America's Wire are designed to complement the news coverage already available from various media outlets. Our goal is to better inform the American public about the impact of the structural racism that still exists in America."

I believe the book “Eminent Gangsters: Immigrants and the Birth of Organized Crime in America” by James Fentress was a great resource in approaching the initial stages of thinking further into the topic of American crime . The book gave me an understanding of how the mind of a gangster from possibly the worlds most notorious organised crime family works. I definitely think that the beginning of a new style in American crime began once Charles “Lucky” Luciano created the five families. Fentress`s approached in portraying his ideas and information made it an interesting and easy read. He makes sure his resources play along with what most of us already associated with The Mafia . For example television programmes such as “The Sopranos”, an American hit HBO production which followed the lives of a New Jersey based Mafia family. The book has important links to many aspects of American crime and acted as a solid base in further thinking.

After reading “Eminent Gangsters” I wanted to look deeper into the racism in crime and what the law were doing to prevent it. The online journal “America's Wire Releases - Exclusive Article Citing Impact of Black Prosecutors Across the Country” tackled both of these in one. It proved by good use of resource how the stereotype white skinned police officers were not the only form prosecutors. It shows their methods of using a non-whites to better the up bringing of the younger generation in communities are obviously effective . This is portrayed through secondary sources such as
San Francisco’s district attorney Kamala Harris healthy performance in the Californian election, Americas most populated state. Most importantly, I think the journals main purposes was to prove how racism within American crime is only a feature of our social world due to past violence between opposing cultures. Also, to make clear that the colour of our skin has very little to do with why the offender committed the crime.




Bibliography

www.wikipedia.org

www.groups.yahoo.com

www.thefreelibary.com

www.questia.com