Mafia

Originally, the name of a loose confederation of people engaged in organised crime, originating in Sicily and spreading to the United States of America through immigration in the 20th century. Their activities have included extortion? (obtained through such means as subverting [trade union]?s), prostitution, drug smuggling, as well as simple theft. Throughout the 20th century, attempts by governments to eliminate their activities have been made difficult by the sophisticated, hands-off nature of their operations, bribery and blackmail of law enforcement officers, judges, and politicians, and a tradition (enforced through violence) of not providing information to police to reduce one's own punishment. In Italy in particular, there has been a long history of police prosecutors and judges being murdered by the Mafia in an attempt to discourage vigorous policing.

However, there is some evidence that both in Italy and the United States that law enforcement is finally gaining the upper hand over the Mafia organisations, through stronger laws, the breaking down of the "code of silence", and perhaps in the United States the gradual dissolution of the distinct Italian community through death, intermarriage, the lack of continued Italian migration, and cultural assimilation.

The term has also been applied to organised crime organisations distinct from the Italian-based group, including Russian groups who sprung up after the fall of the Soviet empire and the Japanese yakuza.