Organized Crime in the 1920's
Organized crime is defined as any group of people who have deliberately conspired to participate in and perpetuate illegal activity with the principle aim of amassing substantial profit as quickly as possible.
Organized criminals and their activities, including gambling and extortion, had been operating though the inner city gangs since the turn of the century. The
Prohibition Act of 1920 was the single event that provided the opportunity to supply these criminals with an enormous source of income.Organized crime groups that could run the bootlegging operation as a business dominated the task of supplying alcohol to the masses. They controlled the manufacturing, delivery, as well as the final sale of alcohol. Under the tutelage of Johnny Torrio, Al "Scarface" Capone became one of Chicago's most notorious gangsters. Torrio and Capone built an empire involved in every criminal venture, including illegal booze in and around Chicago area, yet Torrio wanted more. He wanted a piece of every operation run by the other Chicago gangs, as well. They would each get a piece of each gang and would be given a territory that they would control without interference from the other gangs.
From this, the gangland warfare that ensued was unprecedented and the hits such as the St. Valentines' Day Massacre caused a major public concern. Up to this point, organized crime, or the Mob had been viewed by outsiders as the supplier of wanted illegal commodities. This view was shifting and public appreciation of gangs, and especially of Al Capone, began to decline rapidly.
The high profile tactics of Al Capone changed drastically in the 1930's as the Mob saw it necessary to go underground.
