How Did Al Capone Contribute To The Rise Of Organized Crime

The overly restrictive prohibition act was designed to put a stop to the rising crime rates, presumably caused by extreme levels of alcohol consumption among U.S. citizens. Ironically, this illegalization of alcohol actually gave birth to the rise of organized crime throughout America. The 1920s are largely remembered as the golden age of America, a time in which no one was poor and everything was peaceful. However, this was not necessarily the case. Crime had always been a basic back and forth between the police and criminals. In other words, it had been a classic case of, “hero cop captures scumbag criminal.” In the 1920s, crime became somewhat of an art form. Al Capone, a psychopathic gang leader, rose to the mainstream, racketeering became

Al Capone was quite possibly the most iconic gang boss to ever live, and Bonnie and Clyde completed a real life tragic love story that will forever be remembered. Alphonse Capone, otherwise known by his nicknames, “Al Capone,” and, “Scarface,” is notorious for his leadership of the Chicago Outfit. A mastermind of the double personality, Capone would often make public appearances despite his status. He would advertise himself as a modern day Robin Hood, by starting one of the first soup kitchens, feeding many people in need. However, Capone’s true personality was a far cry from heroic. He executed many blood filled crimes, including the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, in which 14 members of a rival gang were killed by Chicago Outfit gangsters who were posing as cops. Eventually, however, Capone became the subject of a series of arrests following his conviction for tax evasion. "The income tax law is a lot of bunk. The government can't collect legal taxes from illegal money." -Al Capone. This lead to his downfall as a crime boss and, ultimately, his death due to a stroke and pneumonia on January 25, 1947. (“Famous Cases & Criminals: Al Capone”,

However, some states where a majority of the population was opposed to the Prohibition actually passed laws permitting some alcoholic beverages. (Anderson, 1) On top of this direct opposition to federal law, about ten percent of the 30,000 Federal Prohibition Bureau agents were fired for corruption. Additionally, juries were less inclined to convict someone who they felt hadn’t committed any immoral injustices. Only a small portion of liquor distributors were actually arrested for their crimes as a result, but even that was enough to overcrowd prisons. Thus, judges tried to decrease the number of incarcerated citizens by promising small fines in exchange for guilty pleas. All of these factor contributed to the open season of the illegal alcohol distribution