History Of Organized Crime

Organized crime has played a big role in shaping America’s history today. Organized crime, as we know it today is a group of individuals who work together to gain a profit through illegal and often violent methods. This can be traced back to the New York street gangs of the 1800’s. Groups such as the Forty Thieves in New York formed as hundreds of immigrants came together for their own protection and financial gain. These people thought they could only rely on each other and saw organized crime as a way to improve their lives and find protection from other gangs and corrupt police officers. The Forty Thieves were made up of Irish-Americans who lived in slums and worked for low wage. These gangs would get involved in various including politics.