SRA 211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Extortion, Protection Racket, Capodecina
Document Summary
First noted in an official document in 1888. Public work contract skimming, money laundering and extortion. Probably most financially successful criminal group in italy. Criminal secret society, developed in sicily mid 1800s. During sicily"s long existence under foreign rule, a system of local protection and security emerged. Rise of a castle of middlemen who operated farms on behalf of absent, foreign land owners. Emerged as a private source of protection for the landowners and, later, ordinary rural citizens. Without supervision, these middlemen became the law enforcers in. Sicily, favoring their own style of business and justice over that of the state and land owners. Began to use violence to impose their will, with a sawed-off shotgun as their weapon of choice. After years of disinterested foreign rule, sicilians built up distrust for state authority. Often included willingness to use violence and resort to illicit economic activity that evolved into sicilian organized crime.