Matt Carucci
Critical Studio
Bridge Part 2
For my project of researching characteristics for the Italian Mob I have come up with a few common themes that run throughout the history of the mob.
1: Suits – they always seemed to be dressed in fine suits. Even during John Gotti’s arrest he was dressed dapper. The style of dress depends on the place and time. Al Capone was known as one of the most stylish men in American history he wore pinstriped silk suits imported from Italy.
Before being known as the “Teflon Don,” New York mobster John Gotti was known as “The Dapper Don” because he always wore expensive Brioni suits.
The issue was people who got wealth quickly turned around and bought flashy stuff which attracted attention from the police. Italians have a sense to dress fashionable and presentable, especially if meeting at nice restaurants. It also helped in the day time to not look like a thug wear baggy pants
- Racketeering: Most of the time when you hear of someone getting caught it is on racketeering charges, or offering to fix something that they started for a charge. It was usually used as a threat during a shake down. Common forms would be to offer protection to land or property for a price, while someone else would destroy the property, items would be stolen and then sold back to their owners, money laundering and gambling.
- Hierarchy: There’s always a system to how the mob works. Below is a chart for how things are run and who runs them in what order. This differentiated between each family. The Don or Boss ran everything and his word was final. All money made came back to him. Underneath him was the Underboss, or the Don’s advisor. He would advise him on certain matters and make recommendations. Underneath them were the Capos, they were like a captain. Each capo runs a certain part of the family business using the guys under them, called soldiers or made men.
- Track Suits – This I consider different than their regular suits. Usually Capo’s rocked a simple track suit. Below is Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri from the show The Sopranos. He is a capo to Tony Soprano. He is often shown in track suits when out during their rounds, but dresses up nicer when at clubs. They are comfortable, lightweight, they have large pockets which are useful for carrying cash and weapons. They are popular in Eastern European cultures.
- Code of Silence – Omerta: Omerta is the Code of silence when dealing with the government. It is the idea that no one rats out anyone for no reason. It translates to “manhood” and refers to the idea of a man dealing with his own problems without anyone or within the law, but the term has also become synonymous with Mafia’s code of silence.
- Initiation – There is an order to how you become an official member of the mob. The term is often called “being made” or a “made man”. You are first brought in by a member and vouched for. The ceremony involves a specific ritual, oaths, blood, and an agreement is made to follow the rules of the Mafia as presented to the made man. You then start as a soldier shown on the hierarchy chart on number 3. The common practice was to prick your finger and spill blood on saint card. The card is set on fire and passed around to each member while the new member recites an oath of loyalty. It’s difficult to find info out as most was kept secretive. The ritual and saint card initiations weren’t really found out about until recently when mobsters were caught and offered protection in order to learn about some of the insides of the mafia.
