Major Criminal Groups In The United States And Their Main Crimes (Essay Sample)

Major Criminal Groups in The US and their Main CrimesName:Institutional Affiliation:Date:
Major criminal groups in the United States and their main crimes
The rapid industrial and economic developments in the United States coupled with massive famine and conflicts in Europe instigated mass immigration to America. However, the diversity created by these immigrants created widespread prejudice leading to some of these communities resorting to crime. Combined with the economic prosperity, the developing crime has attracted many organized criminal groups to the United States. They include the Italian Mafia, Japanese Yakuza, and the Asian Triads.
The Italian Mafia
The Italian Mafia formed in New York during the start of the 20th century when Italian immigrants resorted to crime to counter prejudice and overcome poverty. While the majority of the criminal group’s main leaders have amassed great powers and wealth, none was more famous than Al Capone. During the period of inhibition when sale and distribution of alcoholic drinks was outlawed in parts of the United States, early members of the Italian Mafia smuggled whisky from as far as Ireland (Ventura, 2016). The group grew from the early 1920s to the 1960s when the American government came down hard on organized crime. However, the Italian Mafia still exists by maintaining a low profile. Its main activities are money laundering and gun running.
The Japanese Yakuza
The Japanese Yakuza is a conglomerate of several large criminal groups that operate in a hierarchical manner worldwide. Recent studies place this number at between 20 and 25, and each has a strong hierarchy with three main leadership levels. The big boss of each group is the kingpin. He is an older father figure whose sons and cousins run the middle-level affairs of the gang such as administration and enforcement (Friman, 2005). At the lowest level, the foot soldiers operate a good network and informers and even law enforcement symphathizers. The Yakuza bosses meet often in cases of massive conflict, while the Yakuza operates in the United States, Japan and parts of Asia. Its main activities in the US are drug trafficking, human trafficking, gun running, prostitution, and money laundering.
The Asian Triads
The Asian Triads are a group of organized criminal gangs from Hong Kong. Some researchers have identified the group’s mainstay as China where the group has deep roots. However, the Asian Triads extend from China to Vietnam and involve themselves in many crimes. These gangs combine to form one of the largest organized crime gangs today with reaches in As...