Women in Crime

For the purposes of this paper, however, we will limit ourselves to a discussion of two major groups and the role that women play within the organized crime activities in the Mafia and the South American Criminal Cartel (Latin Crime Families). Initially, the paper will present an overview of the subject of women in crime. The second section of the paper will deal with a brief history of the Mafia, and will focus on women within the Mafia family and Mafia business. The third section of the paper will present an overview of South American criminality, focusing on the narcotics business in the late 20th century. The pattern of women in the South American system will be examined. Finally, the paper will conclude

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their husbands had done to get sent to jail. That just wasn't ever a part of the conversation. What they discussed was how the prosecutors and the cops lied. How people picked on their husbands. How their husbands had done something everybody was doing but had just had the bad luck to get caught. Then in the same breath they would discuss the bus rides up to see their husbands and what they wore on the long trips and how the kids acted and how hard it was to make ends meet when their husbands were away (Pileggi, 1985, 73). Also, in contrast to the rather accepting nature that murder and violence had with the Mafia men, many of the wives became almost hysterical when their husband or son was killed. This, even though they heard about killings on a daily basis, often showed a complete dependence on the man for every aspect of life. Mafia women usually have little control over the family money, and are often left with a great deal of debt after the death of a Mafia husband. The media image of the grieving widow, dressed in black, crying at the funeral of a fallen Mafioso is, it seems, not far from actuality. Indeed, sources indicate that many of the women were left with nothing but their lives after a gang killing (Pileggi
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Ianni Reuss-Ianni, Godfather Puzo, Latin America, Understandably Latin, South American, Social Morals, Latin Mafia, Briefly Italian, Balsamo Carpozi, Pollak Friedman, latin crime, crime families, latin crime families, 1988 pp, organized crime, mafia family, ianni reuss-ianni, 1981 pp, reuss-ianni 1972, female criminality, latin criminal, ianni reuss-ianni 1972, 1988 pp 28-33, smolowe 1988 pp, incidence female criminality,
Approximate Word count = 3492
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page)

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