The Japanese mafia, also known as the Yakuza, is merely an umbrella name that loosely ties all organized crime groups into one group. For the sake of this paper, it needs to be known that the Japanese mafia is largely made of up three syndicates: the Yamaguchi-gumi, the Sumiyoshi-kai and the Inagawa-kai. The Yamaguchi-gumi is the largest of the three, having as many as 35,000 members (_______); that being said, an avid individual would make the assumption that it would be nearly impossible to completely dispose of the Yakuza. An interesting aspect about the Japanese mafia is that they are within the legal bounds of Japan, as opposed to the belief that gangs are automatically classified as illegal, like the Mafia in the United States of America (________).Their origins are dated back to the Edo period where their occupation ranged from gambling and peddling to …show more content…
_____ stated that their name formed from an Asian game of Oicho- Kabu, a version of Black Jack, in which ya-ku-sa is a losing hand. This can further be analyzed as the group calling themselves unworthy and unusable members of society; they are the misfits and do not fit into normal society. The Japanese mafia evolved from lower status to controlling the enterprises of gambling, entertainment and prostitution.
The Yakuza’s dress code and preferred weaponry are a reflection of how they have evolved throughout the years. Traces of the gangs' origins can be realized in the fundamental aspects of modern, yakuza culture. For example, many Yakuza display tattoos (usually located on the backs, shoulders and upper arm) which are created with traditional bamboo or steel needles, rather than
Organized crime; is a group of individuals that work together to illicit profit through illegal and sometimes often violent methods1 and two of the most famous groups are the Mafia and the Irish Mob. The two groups can be traced as far back as the 1800’s and had originally formed together for their financial gain to improve their lives and to protect themselves against the corrupt police officers. However over the years they have developed this infamous reputation tying both groups together, when there are substantial differences between the two. For instance one is based in the country of Sicily and the other was formed right here in the United States. Both groups have different origins, histories, systems and traditions thus making both
Mafia’s Crimes Throughout The Years The Mafia. This feared family first originated from waves of Italians moving to America, for the hope of a better life.(Mafia In The United States) Although there were law-abiding people in the group, there were still some criminals among them, and they built the base of the Mafia.(Ibid) From then on, the Mafia continued to build itself up to what it is known to be today.
Early structure and formation of Asian gangs and its members did not affiliate with one another extensively and did not have much devotion to any particular gang; the camaraderie among the members was very loosely knit. The differentiating factors of Asian gangs as opposed to Latino gangs or African American gangs, the Asians lacked the common distinctive description of a gang member: hand signals, gang tattoos, and territorial gang graffiti or tags. The Asians rarely named their gangs nor did they construct initiatives nor occupy their territory or
During the 1920s in an effort to reduce crime and corruption the prohibition on alcohol was passed, little did these law makers know they were only worsening the situation. The streets started to run rampant with crime, and bootleggers rose to power as organized raised as well. As organized crime rose so did the Mafiosas. Throughout the 20th century the mafia has controlled the organized crime scene with an unwavering fist only for its rule to be challenged by other families. The mafia 's bosses give each family its own unique style whether they be a media persona like Al Capone, A brutal killer like Charles Luciano, or completely insane like George Moran.
In the 1920s and 1930s America saw a large growth in mafias & mobs, drug & Alcohol Trafficking, and the organization of crime were a result of the Prohibition.
In Yojimbo, Akira Kurosawa satirizes Japanese greed and corruption and portrays the growing influence of capitalism. During this time in Japan, the Yakuza clan was a very strong and dangerous group equivalent to the modern day mafia. The Yakuza clans’ ideals are relatable to two themes prominent in Yojimbo: greed and corruption, and rising capitalist influence. Kurosawa satirizes these two characteristics of the Yakuza clan through the use of mise en scene.
In Sicily, the island southwest of Italy, a place historically invaded by foreign armies, a group known as “The Mafia” with no criminal orientation began to grow in order to protect the citizens from such invaders. Starting in the 19th century, members of the group began exploiting protection money from various landowners and grew into the violent organization known as the Sicilian Mafia (History).
Members who violate codes and attack innocents such as family members and children are viewed as thugs by high rank members of the Yakuza and are expelled from the organization sometimes (77). A high ranking official from inside the Yakuza has stated, “ The Yakuza have existed this long because the police have allowed us to exist and we have cooperated with them to some extent. Those days are gone, as we are being replaced internally and externally by thugs and gangs who make no pretense in having codes at all.” (Kaplan 78). Many old generation Yakuza members believe the Yakuza itself has become deluded when various criminals who do not follow these codes of conduct join the organization. The traditional Yakuza members believe it is the reason why the Japanese government went after Yakuza. (79).
Imagine living in a world where crime ruled. A world where gangsters were more powerful than politicians, owned the police, and ran the city in whatever way they felt. They robbed whom they wanted and killed when they didn't get their way. Now stop imagining and realize that this happened here in the United States of America in the 1920's. It was run by an organization made up mainly of Italians called the Mafia.
When people think of organized crime they think of the Italian mob and the Russian mafia. They are the ones that they see in movies and on television, and the ones that they hear about the most. However, they were created a couple centuries after their Asian counterparts, the Yakuza in Japan, and the Triads in China. These Asian syndicates were founded in the sixteenth and seventeenth century and consisted of merchants and other people in what was basically the middle class. They were just groups of poorer people who were just looking for protection or were trying to help other people. The first organized crime syndicates were a kind of Robin Hood, they helped the poor. They weren’t big or powerful, and they didn’t have large numbers. The
The Mexican Mafia, or “La Eme”, as they refer to themselves, is one of the most powerful and influential organized crime gangs in the United States. The organization has risen through the decades of mass gang wars and violence to become the power it is today. Their control is limitless and they have ventured far beyond the expectations of what was thought that gangs were capable of. They have infiltrated governments and manipulated politics. They have taken over neighborhoods and attempted to ethnically cleanse them. Innocent people have become caught up in the affairs of La Eme throughout its history and many have faced violence and death at their hands. This paper is a continual of the case analysis of the Mexican Mafia and will attempt to provide explanations for some of the crimes committed by this organization. Researching gangs and organized crime is important because of their large influence and control over many aspects of daily life. The significance of attempting to provide causations of their crimes can better provide the criminal justice system a clearer understanding of problems that lead to gang members committing crimes on behalf of the organization. A clearer understanding of problems can help the system to provide solutions to combat situations that inhibit crimes.
Deviant acts cannot be discussed without taking into account culture, perspective, and religion. Every culture is known for their types of expressions though tattooing, piercings, and body modification. Asian gangs such as the Yakuza are known for their full body tattoos, while African tribes can be associated with wearing rings that stretch their necks. Often, these types of tattooing and body modifications are seen as a sign of beauty or a sign of respect. In the United States, tattooing, piercings, and body modifications are becoming more acceptable, in moderation.
Firstly, you done a extremely good job at summarizing the Yakuza history. I was not sure if they are the only gangs to be recognize in the world, but I have to agree they are very disciplined and show a impression of cruelty and cold-blooded. Moreover, Yakuza tattoo is part of their symbol and tradition, one must get that tattoo in order to be part of the family. Also, those that commit a mistake will show loyalties by cutting their finger off with a sword, which is a very terrify to know. At last, Yakuza is perhaps better than mafia in my personal opinion, although they they do activities such as drug abuse, and sexual intercourse, in somewhat part we can understand they are not bad as we think it
Exactly what is the Mafia? Mafia, more specifically the 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 composed of bosses of numerous families, mostly New York, was the overseeing authority for all of the other La Cosa Nostra families. New York City is the place of origin for organized crime in the United States. Currently, there are five families in the New York City outfit of the La Cosa Nostra. The five families are, the Gambinos, Genovese, Colombo,
The Mafia way of life may seem like a romantic updated version of the western movie played out on the streets of the big cities where the good guys and the wise guys who share the same instincts and values do battle before an enthralled public but it is actually very different. The Mafia is really just a group of uneducated thugs making money by victimizing the public. Initially, the Mafia was setup as a prominent supplier of bootlegged liquor, but it has spread into many different areas of crime. During this research paper I will discuss three aspects of the Mafia which are crime, structure and decline in leadership.