Crime, Crusades and Corruption

Drawing on a wide range of sources, the author examines the attempts by law enforcement agencies to prevent the violation of prohibition laws on alcohol, drugs, gambling and prostitution throughout the 20th century. Although legislation was intended to end all behavior that a Protestant culture defined as sinful and non-productive, the laws actually fostered and sustained a level of crime and corruption far in excess of that to be found in more tolerant societies, and were, at best,...
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Drawing on a wide range of sources, the author examines the attempts by law enforcement agencies to prevent the violation of prohibition laws on alcohol, drugs, gambling and prostitution throughout the 20th century. Although legislation was intended to end all behavior that a Protestant culture defined as sinful and non-productive, the laws actually fostered and sustained a level of crime and corruption far in excess of that to be found in more tolerant societies, and were, at best, selectively enforced. The author argues that the authorities presented the concept of organized crime in the shape of the Mafia to disguise the fact that the existing laws were virtually impossible to enforce. Also examined is the extensive corruption at all levels of officialdom. Contents: Foreword by Hugh Brogan; Introduction; Part I3 Losing the war against liquor, 1920-1934: 1. Making crime pay; 2. The dangers of enforcement; 3. The fall of Al Capone; 4. The end of one prohibition; Part II3 Crusades and corruption in the cities, 1930-1950; 5. New York gangbusters; 6. Chicago: corrupt and content; 7. Los Angeles: city of fallen angels; 8. Post-war perfidy; Part III3 Distracting from failure, 1945-; 9. Blaming aliens; 10. The Kefauver Crime Show; 11. Prolonging the crusade; Part IV3 The final phase: drugs, crime and politics, 1960-; 12. Expansion; 13. Perpetuation; Epilogue; Notes; Index