Its influence in labor unions has waned, and its stranglehold on the docks has been loosened. Other groups have moved in to dominate the drug trade and even have made inroads in the gambling and loan-sharking businesses. Inevitably, however, some of those who went in must come out. Within the next 18 months, nearly a dozen reputed organized crime figures – convicted and jailed during the big Mafia crackdowns of the 1940s and early ’50s – are due to step back onto the streets.
How these men handle their newfound freedom could shape the Mafia in American Mafia for years to come, organized crime experts say. State and federal officials will be watching closely to see which ones get back in the game and which ones have learned their lesson.
“A Mob who were a big-time Family when they first joined up went in and have some choices to mke,” said Brian Taylor, a former FBI agent who for years headed the bureau’s New York City organized crime section. “He could retire, just fade away, or he could take a run for the position he had. It all depends on the individuals.”