CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. ORGANIZED CRIME- WHAT IS IT, AND CAN IT BE STOPPED? PT 4.

The First Large Criminal Gangs were founded in the Eastern U.S., and were formed by Two Main Groups;

IRISH IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME TO THE U.S. IN THE EARLY TO MID 1800s. These Formed in the Poorest Sections of Cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Boston etc.

ANTI- IMMIGRANT OR NATIVIST GANGS.  These also formed in the same areas.

Much of the Conflict Between the Two Groups was not only the Country of Origin and Economic Factors, but a Prominent Religious Element that took the Form of AN ANTI- CATHOLIC SENTIMENT AMONG THE NATIVIST GANGS.

Gangs with Names such as:

-  DEAD RABBITS. 

-  WHYOS.

-  BOWERY BOYS.

-  ROACH GUARDS.

Often numbered in the Hundreds. 

They usually Centered Their Activities in and around the Areas and Neighborhoods from which Their members were Drawn From. As is still the case today, Most of Those Victimized by Criminal Activity were from the same Racial, Ethnic and Economic Class as Those who Committed the Illegal Acts.

While these were the First, CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUNDED AND FORMED ALONG RACIAL AND ETHNIC LINES ARE QUITE COMMON IN AMERICAN HISTORY.  In Fact, There is no group Living in the U.S. Today that has not had its Share of ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY FORMED WITHIN THE BODY OF THE POPULATION CONTAINED WITHIN ITS DEFINED PARAMETERS.

THE REASONS FOR THIS SEEMS TO BE ALMOST UNIVERSAL ACROSS RACIAL AND ETHNIC LINES, AS ARE THE REASONS FOR THE SUCCESS AND FAILURE OF THEIR CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES.