What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear about the Mafia? I know the first thing I think about is the Godfather or John Gotti. Everyone has all these ideas when it comes to the Mafia or organized crime, but till this day, no one can give you are right or wrong answer. The origin of the word Mafia is still and will be a mystery to most people.
             The Mafia is a secret society that originally came about in Sicily. The purpose for the Mafia was to unite the Sicilian natives, who fled from Arab and French invaders. The Normans captured Sicilians and changed their farms into estates. Thousands fled to the hillside. In the fifteenth century Sicily was invaded again, this time by the Spaniards. They brought with them punishment and torture. The Sicilian peasants sought the protection of the mafia strongholds. The mafia was a symbol of a patriotic society to Sicily. The society created a hierarchy of dons who were the heads of different mafia families. They said the top don always lived in Palermo. (Dirks)
             By the 19th century, the Sicilian Mafia had grown larger, more powerful, and more criminally oriented. The Mafia not only became powerful in Sicily, but all over Italy as well. The Italian government began an anti-Mafia campaign in the 80's. The anti-Mafia campaign lead to number of arrests and trials, but also many enforcement officials were assassinated in the heat of rage.
             By 1924, the migration of Mafia members from Italy into America rose because Mussolini was intending to rid Italy of this secret society. As years went by the members of the Mafia were getting involved in politics. The more the members became involved in politics, the more their power expanded. The Mafia obtained political office in many communities and by doing this they acquired influence with the police and obtained legal access to weapons. Even though the Mafia had influence with the police, Omerta, a ri...