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1. Gangsters
The archetype of our characters is the stereotypical gangsteror mobsteras they are also so
known. Intoday'susage, the term "gang" is generally used for a criminal organization, andthe
term "gangster" invariably describes a criminal. Muchhas been written on the subject of
gangs, althoughthere is no clear consensusaboutwhatconstitutesa gang or whatsituations
lead to gang formationandevolution. There is agreement thatthe members of a gang havea
sense of commonidentity and belonging, andthis is typically reinforced throughshared
activities and throughvisualidentifications suchas special clothing, tattoosorrings.
Regional variants:
 The Sicilian Mafia, or Cosa Nostra isa criminal organisation thatcame about in the
mid-nineteenthcentury in Sicily, Italy. It is made upof criminal groupsthatshare a
commonorganizationalstructureand code of conduct. The origins lie in the outbreak
of Sicily's transitionoutof feudalism in 1812 andits later takeoverby mainlandItaly
in 1860. Underfeudalism, the nobility ownedmost of the land andenforced law and
order throughtheir private armies. After 1812, thefeudal baronssteadily soldoff or
rented their lands toprivate citizens. Primogeniturewas abolished, land couldno
longer be seized to settle debts, andone fifth of the land was to becomeprivate
property of the peasants.
 In China, the Triads trace their rootstoresistance or rebel groupsopposed
to Manchurule duringthe Qing Dynasty, whichwere given the triangle astheir
emblem. The Triads evolvedinto criminal societies. When the Chinese Communist
Party came to power in 1949 in mainlandChina, law enforcement became stricter
andtoughgovernmentalcrackdownon criminal organizationsforcedthe triads to
migrate to HongKong, then a British colony, andother cities aroundthe world. Triads
today are highly organized, with departmentsresponsiblefor functionssuch as
accounting, recruiting, communications, trainingandwelfare in additionto the
operationalarms. They engage in a variety of crimes including extortion, money
laundering, smuggling, trafficking and prostitution.
 As American society and culture developed, new immigrants were relocating to the
UnitedStates. The first major gangsin 19thcentury New York City were the Irish
gangssuch as the Whyosandthe Dead Rabbits. These were followed by the
Italian Five PointsGangand later a Jewish gangknownas the EastmanGang. There
were also "nativist" anti-immigrationgangssuchasthe Bowery Boys. The American
Mafia arose from offshootsof the Mafia that emerged in the United Statesduringthe
late nineteenthcentury, following waves of emigrationfrom Sicily.
 Colombiais the world's leading producer of cocaine, and alsoproduces herointhat is
mostly destinedfor the USmarket. The Medellin was anorganized network of drug
suppliersand smugglersoriginatingin the city of Medellin, Colombia. The gang
operated in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Central America, the UnitedStates, as well as
Canadaand Europethroughoutthe1970sand1980s. Itwasfoundedandrun by
OchoaVazquez brotherswith PabloEscobar. By 1993, theColombiangovernment,
helped by the US, had successfully dismantledthe cartel by imprisoningorhunting
andgunningdown its members.

2. Notorious individuals:
Al Capone:AlCaponewas one of the mostinfluential gangstersduringthe prohibitionperiod.
Born in Williamsburg, Brooklynin1899 toimmigrant parents, Caponewas recruited by
membersof the Five PointsGangin the early 1920s. Caponewouldrise to controla major
portionof illicit activity such as gambling, prostitution, and bootlegginginChicago duringthe
early twentieth century.
Frank Costello: Frank Costello wasanotherinfluential gangster. He was bornin southernItaly
butmovedto America when he was four years old. He later changedhis name from
Francesco Castiglia to Frank Costellowhen he joined a gang at age 13. His name change led
some peopleto mistakenly believe he was Irish. He workedwith Charlie
Luciano in bootleggingand gambling. He also hada lot of political power which enabled him
to continuehis business. He took charge when Luciano was arrested and expandedthe gang's
operations. He decided to step away from the gangsterlife and died peacefully in 1973.
Carlo Gambino: CarloGambino wasan influential gangsterin America. From1961 untilhe
died in 1976, hewas chairman of the American mafia. Gambinowas bornin Palermo, Sicily,
butmovedto the UnitedStates at the age of 21. ThroughhisCastellano relatives, he joined
the MasseriaFamily. While Lucky Luciano was the underbossin the MasseriaFamily,
Gambinoworked for him. After Lucianohad Masseriakilled, Luciano became the boss, and
Gambinowas sent to the Scalise Family. Later Scalise was strippedof his rank, andVicenzu
Manganobecame bossuntil1951, whenManganodisappeared. Hisbody was never found.
The Kray Twins:TheKray twins, Reginald andRonaldKray, were leading criminals in London,
Englandin the 1950sand1960s. They were involved in armed robberies, arson, protection
rackets, violent assaultsincludingtorture andthe murdersof Jack "TheHat"
McVitie and George Cornell. As West End nightclubowners, they mixed with prominent
entertainers including DianaDors, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and politicians. The Kray’swere
highly feared within their social environment. Inthe 1960sthey becamecelebrities in their
own right, being photographedby DavidBailey and interviewed on television. They were
arrested in 1968 andbothsentenced to life imprisonment.
Lucky Luciano: Lucky Luciano(bornSalvatoreLucania), a Sicilian gangster, is considered to be
the father of modern organizedcrime andthe mastermindof the massive post-warexpansion
of the international heroin trade. He was the first official bossof the modern Genovese crime
family and is credited with organizingthe American Mafia's ruling body.
Johnny Torrio: BorninsouthernItaly in1882, Torrioimmigratedto the UnitedStates with his
motherafter his father's death, which happenedwhenhe was three years old. Knownas "The
Fox" for his cunning, he helped the formationof the Chicago Outfit andhe is credited for
inspiring the birthof the NationalCrime Syndicate. He was a big influence onAl Capone, who
regarded him as a mentor. After the assassinationofBig Jim Colosimo, Torrio took his place in
the Chicago Outfit. He was severely woundedby members of the North while returningfrom
a shoppingtrip, forcing him, along with otherproblems, to quit the criminal activity. He died
in 1957 andthe media learned abouthis deaththree weeks after hisburial.

3. In Popular Culture:
UnitedStates: Theclassic gangster movie ranks with the Western as one of the most successful
creations of the American movie industry. The "classic" form of gangster movie, rarelyproduced in
recent years, tells of a gangster working his way up through his enterprise and daring, until his
organizationcollapses while he is at the peak of his powers. Although the ending is presented as a
moral outcome, it is usually seen as no more than an accidentalfailure. The gangster is typically
articulate,although at times lonely and depressed, and his wisdom and defiance of social norms
has a strong appeal, particularlyto adolescents.
Latin America: LatinAmericangangster movies are known for their grittyrealism. Soy un
delincuente (I Am a Criminal) is a 1976 Venezuelanfilm by director Clemente de la Cerda. The film
tells the story of Ramón Antonio Brizuela, a real-life individual, who since childhood has to deal
with rampant violence and the drugs, sex and petty thievery of a Caracasslum. Starting with
delinquency, Ramón moves on to serious gang activity and robberies. Hegrows into a tough, self-
confident young man who is hardened to violence. His views change when his fiancée's brother is
killed in a robbery. The film was a blockbuster hit in Venezuela.
East Asia: Thefirst yakuza (gangster) film made in Japan was Bakuto (Gambler, 1964). The genre
soon became popular, and by the 1970s theJapanese film industry was turning out a hundred
mostly low-budget yakuza films each year. The films are descendants of the samurai epics, and are
closer to Westerns than to Hollywood gangster movies. The hero is typically torn between
compassion for the oppressed and his sense of duty to the gang.The plots are generallyhighly
stylized, starting with the protagonist being released from prison and ending in a gory sword fight
in which he dies an honourable death.