How Did Prohibition Increase The Visibility Of Organized Crime

Prohibition Who would have known that the prohibition of alcohol would increase the visibility of organized crime in the United States. The reason America changed its mind about Prohibition is because it brought to light the crimes that many Americans were oblivious to. It ranged from violating the 18th amendment to the lack of enforcement on the government’s part. Everything lead to the exposure of increasing crime that could have been prevented if the authorities were able to enforce the law. The 18th amendment made it illegal to manufacture, transport and sell alcoholic beverages but it didn’t stop people from doing it. Bootleggers were responsible for the distribution of alcohol. The people who profited from the illegal manufacture and distribution of alcoholic drink were known as racketeers. Many people like bootleggers and racketeers took advantage of the high demand and extorted people that desperately wanted alcohol. According to the cartoon Prohibition Dance, it tells how people like bootleggers, racketeers, or gangsters were easily able to get away their crimes that may have lead to the Great Depression (A). Alcohol becoming illegal benefited certain people that knew how it would be high in demand.
Homicides had dramatically increased during 1919-1933 during
the Prohibition era. In the chart Murder in America, the homicide rate was 7,000 per 100,000 in 1919 and increased in 1933 to 9,500 per 100,000 (B). After Prohibition was revoked, homicide rates began to fall. The rising rates were not a coincidence but merely an outcome. Gangs that illegally obtained and sold alcohol were likely to kill competition or enforcement that got in the way.
The lack of enforcement during Prohibition was a major issue that lead to the repeal of the 18th amendment.
Many criminals at the time like bootleggers and gangsters were able to get away with their criminal activities. In Enforcement, the document exposes how little authority the enforcement had and how there was always a way to dodge the consequences of certain crime(C). People could smuggle and sell alcohol in a location across a police station. There was also the 3 mile limit that allowed people to receive alcoholic beverages without the government’s interference. There was doubt that this law was flawed. It provided a loophole to obtain alcohol that was eventually sold to the
public.
The small amount of effort that most enforcements made produced a clear path for the likes of gangsters, bootleggers, murders and etc. The American people were quick to realize that the 18th amendment had worsen some situations. Not to mention that it had failed to eliminate the consumption of alcohol. In response to these realizations, the majority of Americans changed their mind about Prohibition.