 | Gotham Unbound: How New York City Was Liberated From the Grip of Organized Crime Subjects: Racketeering -- New York (State) -- New York; Mafia -- New York (State) -- New York; Business enterprises -- Corrupt practices -- New York (State) -- New York; Organized crime investigation -- New York (State) -- New York; For over half a century in New York, there has been a proud and oft-mythologized contingent of Italian-AmericansÄLuccheses, Bonannos et al.Äfor whom entering the "family business" meant controlling unions, creating cartels and even influencing city government. But despite the fact that the Mafia, or Cosa Nostra, maintains a vital place in the domain of popular culture, Jacobs, a law professor and director of the Center for Research in Crime and Justice at New York University, argues that comprehensive law enforcement measures in the last two decades have stripped New York's mobsters of their power and influence. With the assistance of two former students, Jacobs has created a straightforward and highly detailed text that effectively documents the methods of both the crime families and the crime fighters who opposed them. The first half of the book offers an outline of how Cosa Nostra infiltrated six areas of industry in New YorkÄthe garment district, the Fulton Fish Market, JFK Airport's freight business, construction, the Jacob Javits Convention Center and waste hauling. The second half focuses on law enforcement agencies, lionizing former U.S. attorney and current mayor Rudy Giuliani for his role in "liberating" New York. Though his style lacks flair, Jacobs's structured approach offers a careful dissection of the Mafia way of doing business that is as effective as a Gambino-orchestrated labor strike. And a list of major players like Matty the Horse, Gaspipe and Three-Finger Brown is entertaining reading on its own. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved Jacobs James B. : James B. Jacobs , legal scholar and sociologist, was Warren E. Burger Professor of Law and Director, Center for Research in Crime and Justice, NYU School of Law. Among his books are Mobsters, Unions & Fed: The Mafia and the American Labor Movement, Gotham Unbound: How New York City Was Liberated from the Grip of Organized Crime, Busting the Mob: United States v. Cosa Nostra, and Corruption and Racketeering in the New York City Construction Industry, all published by NYU Press.Friel Coleen : Coleen Friel , former Glass Fellow in Crime & Justice at NYU School of Law, is currently in private law practice in Washington D.C. and New York City. Robert Raddick , former Glass Fellow in Crime & Justice at NYU School of Law, is currently in private law practice in Washington D.C. and New York City.Raddick Robert : Robert Raddick , former Glass Fellow in Crime & Justice at NYU School of Law, is currently in private law practice in Washington D.C. and New York City. |
