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Family Life of the Mafia

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Family Life of the Mafia
Life for Women and Children in the Mafia The Mafia is an international organized crime group based in Italy. The Mafia started in Sicily and then moved to the United States of America. They are founded on rigid law and everyone has a specific role within the Mafia. Crimes such as murder, extortion, and racketeering allow for an expensive lifestyle for those in the Mafia without them having to put in any real work. Although given much luxury by the Mafia, wives and children of these men are caught in a life that can be far from luxurious. Women and children with Mafia ties are severely limited by the laws and consequences of the organized crime life style. The Mafia began to form over 3000 years ago when Italy was being invaded and conquered regularly by different countries (FBI). People in Sicily began to form groups and relied on their families and these groups to provide protection and justice (FBI). Although the Mafia began as a way to protect themselves and loved ones from oppressive governments and authorities, it eventually turned into organized crime. The generations of honorable men who were protecting their families turned into criminals around the 1920's (FBI). Since then, many mobsters have come to American from Italy illegally. Another section of the Mafia was created in the United States in the 1920's called La Cosa Nostra, the American Mafia (FBI). La Cosa Nostra consists of a few different powerful families following the Mafia Law. In Sicily before someone could join the Mafia or these family groups, they would take an oath. This oath consisted of five rules; a code of silence, complete obedience, complete assistance, vengeance, and avoiding the police (MAFIAMOB). This oath was based on family and helped these men protect their families. This was during a time where they did not trust the police and they needed trust and respect between families to keep the peace. La Cosa Nostra was structured after the Sicilian Mafia. At this point La
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