What is some basic history of the 'Cosa Nostra' and how do you become one?

Question

I'm writing a story and need some background infromation. What is some basic history of the 'Cosa Nostra' and how do you become one?

Answer 1

The most common misconception of the mafia is that they are nothing but criminals who want to become rich. Hollywood seems to ruin everything.

The Mafia, aka Costra Nostra, is an organization of Italian Americans ( Italians) who came together here in America to protect one another in a society that even though they had the same freedoms as every other American, they were discriminated against. They took the same concept from Sicily were the goverment there was constantaly changing and they protected one another like a "family".

Here in America, the mafia is not only Sicilians. They are from every part of Italy. ( Gotti's parents were from Naples) To "become one" you must be Itailian. You have to be part of the "family". You start at the bottom and work your way up. You become "made" when you acheive certian standards of the organization and if you are full blooded Italian.

Answer 2

Just have a look at this book
John Dickie, Cosa Nostra: A history of Sicilian mafia.

Answer 3

Simple you join the family if you are accepted by the godfather and ifyou got a friend in the mafia and one rule is important once you get in Cosa Nostra you are getting out only dead.

Answer 4

History:
La Cosa Nostra

In the 1920s and 1930s, the United States was swept by a wave of gangsters who took over neighborhoods through violence and set up systems of illegal activities. Over time, these gangsters extended their reach, developed sophisticated operations, and even forged agreements among themselves. Because American law enforcement responded to the crimes instead of to the criminal organizations, these gangs, by the 1960s, had developed into a powerful syndicate, known as La Cosa Nostra ["our thing"], that had deeply rooted in American institutions and business. It has taken the United States over 35 years and untold resources to effectively address the problem. To this day the influence of this syndicate, although weakened, has not been overcome.

In many large cities of the USA criminal organizations pay a type of "business tax" to La Cosa Nostra, in order to be able to execute their own criminal offences. The 2000 "made members" of La Cosa Nostra belong to 24 La Cosa Nostra families. By means of stooges and dummy firms La Cosa Nostra controls numerous entertainment places, and also business in textiles, building, food and food services as well as companies in the garbage business.
Behind La Cosa Nostra are Italian organizations - the four Italian Organized Crime (OC) groups currently active in the United States are the Sicilian Mafia, Camorra, 'Ndrangheta and Sacra Corona Unita' (United Sacred Crown). Members of these organizations came to America in the 1960's and associated themselves with La Cosa Nostra. By an agreement with the Boss of the largest Cosa Nostra family in New York, these immigrants got permission for operating the heroin trade. Since this time these groups have become larger and gained control of a part of the criminal operations which once belonged exclusively to La Cosa Nostra.
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/lcn.htm
The Mafia was started in Sicily during medieval times to protect the estates when the landlords were not there. By the 1800's the Mafia had become criminal and used violence throughout Sicily. The members were sworn by a strict ethical code called omerta. That was a group of rules and if you broke one you died. The Mafia became so strong that they became politicians and were able to influence police forces and gain access to weapons. The Italian government under Benito Mussolini tried to control the Mafia but it came out strong again after World War II. Because of Mussolini being so strict members of the Mafia moved to the United States where they then led many criminal activities especially during Prohibition. By the 1930's it moved into other illegal activities.
http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill/lobby/9880/started.html

La Cosa Nostra "Our Thing" has its roots from Sicily
Italian-American Mafia, is a group of criminals organized into "families," and operating primarily in North America. Also known as La Cosa Nostra, at one time there were 26 families in the United States - roughly one for each major city. The Mafia "commission," composed of bosses of numerous families, mostly New York, was the overseeing authority for all of the other La Cosa Nostra families.
Now there are Five main LCN families running New York
these include;

-Bonnano
-Gambino
-Genovese
-Lucchese
-Colombo
GAMBINO FAMILY
, http://da_wizeguy.tripod.com/omerta/id3.html
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Answer 5

They came originally from Sicily formed from poor families with criminal aspirations and a code of omerta(silence) and they are like the freemasons, you have to be asked to join.

Answer 6

first threshold to cross...you need to be Sicilian.
2nd, before being a "Made Guy" in 'our thing', you need to prove yourself in the rackets, prostitution, drugs, whacking people, or any combination of the above but generally making money for the Capo.

Answer 7

I could tell you . . . but then I'd have to kill you.