Normalization of
Violence in the Mafia
By: Olivia Ankrum
Code of Conduct
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Code of Silence
Complete obedience to the Boss
Provide assistance to any other respected Mafia faction
Vengeance especially for any family member
Avoid contact with the authorities
The Brotherhood
• “Use code of honor and omerta [silence] to teach their
members how to behave and create a collective identity”
• Silence especially to the feds was a sign of loyalty
• “But personal goals are subordinated to the goals of
the group, as mafia are obliged to be completely
obedient to their chiefs, the place the mafia before all
their previous ties (including blood relatives)”
• Respect was gained off not asking questions and loyalty was
demonstrated by following through
Background
• Began in Sicily mid 1800s when men needed to provide
for their families
• Men were willing to go to any extreme to provide for
their families including tax evasion, illegitimate
businesses, and extortion
• Turned to violence in order
to get what they want no matter
Sammy “The Bull” Gravano
Current Status: Incarcerated
• Former underboss of the Gambino crime family
• Father of Karen Gravano; reality TV star of MobWives
• Mob “rat” that drew several other mob testimonies for
the murder of Paul Castellano (former Boss of the Cosa
Nostra)
• After got charged for being a leader for ecstasy
trafficking
• Took blame for two children Karen and Gerard Gavano so
they did not have to do life in prison
“The Bull” continued..
• “I looked up to this brotherhood so much I wanted to
be just like them, even if it meant not always doing the
right thing. I liked that it had rules, structure, and
organization. To me it was like being in the army and
Cosa Nostra became my government” –Sammy
• He testified in court on a count of twenty murders but blamed
it on loyalty to the brotherhood
• Men from the lifestyle appreaciated structure and rules
because it gave them something to work for and stay united
• Coming from another country and struggling together created the
feeling of “brotherhood”
Karen Gravano’s Perspective
• “The ratting lesson was you had to stand behind what
you did. No matter what the consequences were, were
not going to rat”
• Her father turned out to be a federal informant “rat”
• Even now she still stands strong behind her father after
he saved her from spending life in prison because of
her ecstasy trafficking
• Loyalty to her father trumps anything anyone could
ever say abut her father to make her change her mind
Al “Scarface” Capone
Current Status: Deceased
• Nickname came from when
he was working the door one night,
then accidentally insulted a women
so her brother sliced his face with a knife
• At the age of 26, was a Boss in Chicago who took over illegal
breweries and sold liquor licenses
• People bought them for the threat of being blown up
• 100 people were killed in these bombings
• Had political and police protection so everyone looked the
other way
Al “Scarface” Capone continued..
• Leader of the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre
• Disguised as a meeting he tricked another “family” in the
Chicago area to meet up and had his men dress up like police
officers
• Men lined up against wall without resistance
• Shot seven of them dead
• Convicted for it
Capone Imprisonment
• Locked up at age 33 in Alcatraz, with diagnoses of
syphilis and gonorrhea
• Caused neurosyphilis which erodes the brain leaving him with
mental confusion the brain capacity of a twelve year old
• Suffered severe withdrawal from cocaine addiction
• No longer could lead from the inside with his lack of a
strong mental state
• Died within a year of release from prison from cardiac
arrest
The Godfather
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CDlBLvc3YE
• Clip above demonstrates how people outside the
lifestyle perceive the Cosa Nostra
• Ruthless and pointless murder
• Men in suits smoking cigars
• Blood spurting everywhere
Why violence?
• the threat of being hurt at any given time enforced
loyalty
• If someone knew that they
were going to get hurt than
they would be much more
likely to follow instructions
from the Boss
Outsiders to the Lifestyle Views
• “Meanwhile, their carefully cultivated political
connections and capacity for violence give them
considerable leverage in competing for access to and
control over public goods”
• Al Capone is a prime example
of manipulation of politics and
police force can get Mafia Bosses
an upper hand when it came to
committing crimes
• Believed that Mafia corrupted
taxing because no one ever left a paper
trail or documented their income