Abstract This paper dispels the urban myth, which associates the brutal and destructive behavior of the infamous gangster Al Capone with the goodness of a legendary Robin Hood, which was the public image Capone attempted to cultivate in the community. The author describes Capone's career and his relationship with politicians and law enforcement agencies. The paper concludes that it was not surprising to find that the authorities could not document Capone's many murders because their prevailing behavior at every level of city, county and state government would have implicated themselves in the organized criminal graft and corruption of this period. The assessment of the federal government was that Capone and other gangsters like him were an indication of something morally awry in America.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Capone's Political Influence
The Murders
The G-Men
Conclusion
From the Paper "The federal government felt a need to respond to the people's misdirected values and morals as it did to respond to the likes of Al Capone. The Department of Justice had a vision of handling crime in a way that would be a deterrent to organized crime and to lesser gangs and bank robbers. That vision included building super maximum prison complexes These complexes would use the notoriety of the inmates and their murderous crimes to serve as the impetus for the complexes; and the complexes would be unbeatable, meaning no breakouts."
Tags: bootlegging, gang warfare, urban heroes, political stranglehold, federal bureau of investigation
This paper discusses Alphonse "Al" Capone, America's best-known gangster and the single greatest symbol of the collapse of law and order in the United States during the 1920s Prohibition era.
Abstract This paper explains that, without Prohibition, the banning of the sale of alcoholic beverages, officially known as the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the criminal career of Al Capone would never have reached the heights of criminality. The author points out that Al Capone, one of the first crime czars in American history, took the feudal Italian criminal society and fashioned it into a modern American criminal enterprise. The paper relates that, by 1929, the Capone gang was credited by the Chicago police with at least 300 murders. It discusses how on February 14, 1929, the struggle for the control of the North Side of Chicago erupted in extreme violence with what is now known as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. This day saw seven men belonging to Capone's arch-enemy "Bugs" Moran's gang lured into a garage by Capone's men disguised as policemen, lined up against a wall and shot to death with machine guns.
From the Paper "Thus, Prohibition went into effect in 1920 but its passage reflected an effort that had started in the 19th century. Though most of the reform efforts were heavily influenced by the struggle to fix the political and economic inequalities related to industrialism, the ban on alcohol was essentially a religious crusade. With the Women's Christian Temperance Union leading the way against the use, sale or distribution of alcohol in America's bars, restaurants and homes, Andrew Volsted, a U.S. Representative in Congress, soon joined their cause which he saw as a way of regulating morality in the context of the use and abuse of alcohol, "one of America's most devastating habits that leads to corruption, immorality and the destruction of the soul"; thus, the 18th Amendment became known as the Volstead Act."
Abstract The paper provides a comparison of Al Capone, the Chicago gangster and leader of organized crime, and Muammar al-Qaddafi, the Libyan ruler. The paper shows how both Capone and Qaddafi were individuals that led an organization to control others on a large scale, using political and violent means to gain power. The paper explains that the correlations between the lives of Capone and Qaddafi are significant because they demonstrate the elements that are essential in creating future gangsters.
From the Paper "In the late 1890s the term gangster began to be used in the United States, referring to the member of a gang that committed criminal acts and that was not accepted in society ("Gangster, 2007; "Gangster defintion", 2007). Criminal acts could be as simple as stealing a newspaper or an apple from the corner fruit stand. To be a gangster at the time simply meant that the individual was bad and that those he associated with were bad as well. However, when Al Capone began to be noticed as someone that was the leader of organized crime he was labeled as public enemy number one and the term gangster took on a completely new meaning. A gangster, in the eyes of the American criminal justice system, was an individual that attempted to live above the law, made a living committing criminal acts, was violent, a menace to the society of law abiding citizens and was a member of a gang that was known as organized crime."
Abstract This paper explains that, though Capone's public fortunes waxed and waned, he was, for a considerable time, held up as a swashbuckling type of hero as he did battle with the conservative forces who had robbed the populace of one its favorite pastimes, drinking. He was rich and successful in a raucously defiant way--much like the gunmen of the wild west-- and this endeared him to public of the 1920's.
Abstract Discusses Al Capone, John Gotti, and Jimmy Hoffa and how their activities meet a definition of organized crime. Discusses how organized crime has evolved and adapted since Capone and the 1920s.
From the Paper " It is sometimes difficult to separate unique persons from collectivities in the ascription of organized crime. The individual cases of Al Capone, John Gotti, and Jimmy Hoffa demonstrate how an individual's activities may meet the terms of a..."
Abstract This paper provides a brief summary and analysis of the film, which is about the fight of the federal agents against Al Capone, the warlord who controls the illegal liquor market during the prohibition era. The confrontation between the good and the evil, highlights the corrupted nature of the police force and the influence of the gang lords and finally the triumph of the "Untouchables" .
From the Paper "At the outset of the film the viewers are presented with the prevailing situation in Chicago which has turned into a city at war due to the enforcement of prohibition laws. (Prohibiting liquor). The direction is top notch and De Palma has taken every care to ensure the effectiveness of each scene with suspense reeling out all the time. The music scores really well with nice undertones, which increase the thrill of the moment. The dexterity of the director is revealed even in the very first scene."
Tags: mafia, prohibition, alcohol, law, al, capone, movie
This paper examines the portrayal of police ethics in the film "The Untouchables" and the media portrayal of ethical lapses among police officers in Los Angeles' elite Rampart division.
Abstract The paper discusses the feature film "The Untouchables" that involves the police officer Jim Malone during Prohibition-era Chicago. The paper describes how Malone turns a blind eye to his fellow officers' corruption and the crimes of the most significant gangster of the time, Al Capone. The paper also examines widespread corruption in the Los Angeles police department's Rampart division. The paper maintains that the high moral standard to which we hold police officers must preclude such ethical lapses.
From the Paper "Because they are charged with enforcing the law, police officers are held by society to a high moral standard. Unfortunately, police officers sometimes commit serious errors in judgment and their actions fail to meet that standard. Such ethical lapses are regularly portrayed in communications products, such as feature films, and in the news media. One prominent example of an ethical dilemma faced by a police officer in a feature film involves the character of Officer Jim Malone in The Untouchables. Malone is working as a cop in a corrupt police force during Prohibition-era Chicago. However, before meeting with Eliot Ness, Malone largely turns a blind eye to his fellow officers' corruption and the crimes of the most significant gangster of the time, Al Capone."
A complete history of the construction of Eastern State Penitentiary and an exploration of the famous inmates and stories that are associated with the prison.
1,640 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 25 sources, 2001, $ 53.95
Abstract A detailed paper that outlines the history of one of Philadelphia's national historical landmarks, Eastern State Penitentiary. The author describes the history of its philosophy and construction, as well as facts regarding the massive penitentiary.
From the Paper "Construction began on May in 1822. The penitentiary received its first prisoner in October of 1829, though the prison would not be completed until 1836. Eighteen-year-old Charles Williams was Eastern's first prisoner, sentenced to two years for theft. The identity of Charles Williams disappeared, there was now only prisoner number one in his place. As he was walked to his cell, a black hood was placed over his head, to protect his identity and to help minimize escapes. The only person to see an inmate was a guard who brought meals to an inmate, which were deposited through a slot in the door. The walls were eighteen inches of thick stone. Pastors and ministers would make rounds to Eastern State on a weekly basis, reading scriptures and preaching sermons, but even for this, inmates remained in their cells. Inmates were not allowed to converse, whistle, sing, or even know who the president was at the time. Any inmate not obeying these strict rules were deprived of dinner that night. However, during the exercising sessions, inmates would throw pebbles over the walls with a note attached to communicate with other prisoners."
An analysis and examination of organized crime both in the United States and internationally, with specific reference to its history and characteristics.
2,500 words (approx. 10 pages), 22 sources, 2001, $ 75.95
Abstract In this paper the author analyzes and examines organized crime. The history of organized crime in the United States is discussed; the distinguishing characteristics of organized crime groups are examined and reviewed; the tensions between federal, international, and state laws in fighting organized crime are discussed; the supply of illicit drugs into the United States is examined and finally, the paper concludes with recommendations for battling organized crime.
From the paper:
?Organized crime poses severe threats to international and national security, particularly as the economy becomes increasingly global. Such threats present new conflicts that will require innovative strategies in the future. Cooperation among global organized crime groups has increased as restrictions have lessened between international borders.?
From the Paper "Alphonse ("Scarface") Capone (1899-1947), the most famous U.S. gangster of the twentieth century, became head of the Chicago crime syndicate in 1925. Two years later, the 28-year-old gangster was grossing "105 million a year from his operations. He continued to dominate organized crime until 1931, when he was imprisoned for income tax evasion" (Wallechinsky & Wallace, 1981, p. 496), an incongruously minor infraction compared to the bloodshed he actually left behind.
No other American gangster rose to the international reputation of Al Capone, whose historical image is a curious blend of ruthless gangster and a "distorted Horatio Alger hero who went from rags to riches to jail" (Nash, 1992, p. 78). Nash (1992) goes on to characterize Capone as "a ruthless, murderous thug who killed without remorse--street smart, clever, and..."
Abstract This paper reviews Frederick Lewis Allen's writing style in "Only Yesterday" and the reason for his success at documenting the era of the 1920s. It looks at Allen's composition style and the great variety of issues he touches upon. This paper also discusses the weaknesses in "Only Yesterday" and provides a final analysis of the book.
From the Paper "Acknowledged instantaneously among the classics, Only Yesterday is a vibrant and state-of-the-art account of one of the most absorbing decades of the 20th century. A masterpiece by Frederick Lewis Allen, the book narrates a time of bliss as well as blight, an era when incredible elevations were hastily followed by heartrending denigrates."
Abstract The national prohibition of alcohol in the United States did the exact opposite of what it was designed to do. Instead of producing "clean living", alcohol-free Americans as supporters had hoped, prohibition gave birth to some of the country's largest crime syndicates and drinking grew in popularity. The paper shows that the public glamorized these syndicates and this resulted in a large upsurge of crime in the United States. The paper examines the twin crimes of smuggling and bootlegging and looks at how the law enforcement agencies handled the sharp rise in crime.
From the Paper "The distillation of alcohol at home, in what was referred to as "stills", was illegal but profitable. The end product, "moonshine", was already commonly prepared by many families in rural America prior to prohibition. The distillation of moonshine ran rampant during the days of the prohibition when citizens realized how simple it was to create their own alcohol. Information on alcohol distillation was easily attainable and the necessary equipment was relatively inexpensive. Alcohol was made from corn, sugar, or potatoes ? the same materials used by major manufacturers ? but in the homes of individuals. "
Tags: Woodrow, Wilson, Anti-Saloon, League, Volstead, Act, Capone
Abstract Discusses criminal activity and policing during the 1920s and 1930s, law enforcement branches, the growth of organized crime, the American Mafia, and the activities of Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, and Dutch Schultz.
From the Paper " "The Roaring Twenties," - what a perfect aphorism. It was certainly roaring with music and dance, but it also was roaring with gangsters. In the aspect of gangsterism, the thirties were also ..."
This paper discusses that, even after more than two millennia, Homer's epic poem, "The Odyssey," is a tribute to life's troubles, which the readers encounter every day in their lives.
Abstract This paper explains that, in Homer's "The Odyssey", the "Tone of Fate" is expressed through greatness, symbolism, and archetypal motifs. The author points out that Homer uses the symbolism of monsters, against whom Odysseus conducts himself heroically, to draw a parallel between the lives of the reader and the Fate of Odysseus. The paper relates that the monsters of the saga are overcome with wit, just as centuries later, humanity had to overcome three monsters who changed the shape of the world, writing their own chapter in history: Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolph Hitler, and Al Capone.
From the Paper "Homer elaborates Odysseus's destination in "The Odyssey" with Fate through greatness, symbolism, and temptations throughout literature. Odysseus's journey ends with a perfect harmony. His trap involving Telemachus and Athena works as expected. The Suitors die just as a man's fears are overcome with bravery. The bow shows the greatness of Odysseus, and how in his kingdom, in the realm of everything he has ever worked for, he stands king. One could compare Zeus and the power he holds against the men of earth to Odysseus and the power he holds against the Suitors in their attempt to sin by overtaking his productions of life."
Tags: destiny, greatness, symbolism, monsters, hitler
Abstract This paper examines organized crime in the United States. It begins with the Prohibition in 1920 and extends to the present. It discusses the wide reach of organized crime. The author also expands on the concealed nature of organized crime.
From the Paper "Though surely variations of organized crime have existed in human societies throughout the ages if in the United States there was a galvanizing moment for organized crime that moment took place on January. On this day the states ratified the pivotal ..."
