How Did Edgar Hoover Cause Organized Crime

When you think of organized crime, do you think of Public Enemy with Johnny Depp as the charming John Dillinger, Al Capone with his silk suit, guns, women, and booze, or the G-men who chased them? Regardless, it was probably created in the “lawless years,” a time when law enforcement was practically unheard of. During the early 1920s to the mid-1930s organized crime terrorized America, but when J. Edgar Hoover became the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), he set out to professionalize the agency and bring new technology to use. Organized crime terrorized America from the early 20s to the mid-30s due the 18th amendment. More commonly known as prohibition, the illegal manufacture, sell and distribution of alcohol. This lead to a great rise in gangs, whom took a huge advantage of bootlegging, were they illegally produced alcohol. At least 1,300 gangs were formed. Rival competition, caused a rise in violence

Edgar Hoover came into the view of the American public as the head of the General Intelligence Division, (“J. Edgar Hoover”). Hoover was appointed as director of the FBI in 1924, he was handed over a scandalous operation. Hoover was determined to restore American’s faith in the Bureau, he devoted his life to the cause. Hoover was determined to professionalize to the agency (“FBI and the American Gangster”). His main goal was to “weed out political hacks” (“FBI and the American Gangster”). Hoover drastically dropped the number of employees from 650 (441 special agents) to less than 600 employees and 339 agents (“FBI and the American Gangster”). In 1928, he set up formal training courses for new agents, consisting of a two-month course of instruction and practical exercises. Also, strict hiring criteria was put into effect, background checks, interviews, and physicals were required for every applicant. Hired employees underwent “regular inspections” (“FBI and the American Gangster”). Now it was time to improve the investigation