Michael D. Lyman and Gary W. Potter.  Organized Crime, Second Edition,
536pp. 2000. Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-010020-X,

Organized Crime, Second Edition, by Michael D. Lyman and Gary W. Potter
presents a comprehensive overview of organized crime and is formatted
with the college student in mind.  A major theme of this book is that
organized crime fighting efforts are hampered by the fact that most
information available stems from journalistic and government reports,
which lack credibility and have a fascination with conspiracy model of
criminal behavior.  The study of organized crime is hampered by the same
restraints, that is, a lack of credible data.  The authors overcome
these restraints, to a large measure, by making use of archival data and
a thorough use of scholarly studies as well as emphasizing the cultural,
economic and political dynamics of organized crime.  The end result is a
primer on organized crime, which will serve the academic community as
well as the general public.

A major feature of this text is that it expands the usual definition of
organized crime to include an array of criminal groups not usually
covered in organized crime books. These include, in addition to the
usual domestic groups; the rural organized crime in the Southern United
States, the ever-increasing transnational crime groups including the
terrorist such as Bin Laden, the presidential administrations of John
Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Ronald Regan and Bill Clinton, the U.S.
Intelligence Agency, corporate crime including well-known corporations
such as Merrill Lynch, Savings and Loan institutions, and many more.

Because of the lack of credible information and the secrecy of organized
crime operations it is only natural that there will be some differences
between researchers as to  interpretations, theories and methodologies
of organized crime; however, two parallel themes hold steadfast
throughout this book: 1) there are dominant crime groups other than
Italian American crime groups, however, it is the latter which receives
most media attention, and 2) organized crime, as we know it, without the
support and assistance of corrupt government officials, legitimate
businesspersons, and politician would cease to exist.  It is my purpose
to limit my observations to those forces responsible for the
extraordinary attention received by Italian American criminality.

 The authors are faced with the formidable task of introducing
information that is contrary to the reader's long-standing perceptions.
These perceptions are inevitably steeped in popular culture which has
more to do with creating sensational images than reality; consequently,
it is laden with misperceptions, distortions and outright inaccuracy.
Televised congressional hearings and Presidential task forces reports
are not much better.  For the most part these hearings and reports
reinforce the popular perception, concentrate on, and misrepresent the
role of the Mafia.  To counteract these perceptions, and encourage the
reader to be amenable to new perspectives, the authors' task is to
discredit some of these firmly entrenched perceptions. I offer one
example as it relates to a Presidential task force report on the Mafia.

The Presidential task force report of the mid 60's was largely
responsible for the Mafia media explosion of the same period, which has
continued until this day.  In this report, Dr. Cressy stated, " If one
understands the Cosa Nostra, he understands organized crime
in the United States." 

This statement was sharply criticized by scholars for its' overreliance on 
official data that tended to misrepresent the nature, structure and function 
of 
criminal groups.  

Years later, after his book, "Theft of a Nation" had been on the best 
seller's list, Cressy raised questions about his role. He pointed out that in 
exchange for
official data, he had to compromise his role as a scientific investigator and 
become somewhat of a publicist for federal law enforcement with whom he was 
working.   The general public was ignorant of both the initial criticism 
directed at Cressy and the later remarks that were critical of the 
Presidential task force.

 This book references the work of about a dozen researchers that analyze
media reporting.  Not only is there a plethora of misinformation, but it
is presented with such frequently and so well received that it is readily 
accepted, thereby assuring a perpetual cycle of misinformation.

These studies suggest three major area of concern: 1) the superficiality
of the coverage, 2) sensationalism in selecting stories and, 3) the
tendency to create reality and reproduce the State's view of organized
crime.  Researchers found this unholy alliance between the State and
press to be of the most serious concern.  To allow bureaucrats to
promote scenarios that depart from reality for political or self-serving
purposes, and for the press to be complicit in this scenario, also for
self-serving purposes, is an abrogation of constitutional obligation.
This relationship guarantees a cycle of misinformation and crime
fighting policies with emphasis on political agenda rather than
meaningful organized crime fighting strategies. I believe the entire
country is victimized by this alliance, but none more so than the
Italian American community.
 

Within the annals of Italian American organized crime history, certain
events have been repeatedly presented as proof of a Mafia nationwide
organization and its dominance as an organized crime power.   These
events, which include the Hennessey Assassination, Black Hand,
Castellammaresse Wars, Kefauver Hearings, Valachi Hearings and the
Apalachin Meeting, are reviewed in Organized Crime, Second Edition.   In
each of these events we find substantial disagreements between law
enforcement and the media on one side, and the academics on the other.

Similar inconsistencies exist regarding other Mafia related issues and
subjects. Once Mafia activities are put into proper context with all
other organized crime groups, their supposed dominance goes out the
window.

 Organized Crime, Second Edition is primarily intended as a study text
on organized crime.   It will serve that purpose well.   If there are
weaknesses in this book it is found in of its own warnings.   Much of
the recent material presented relies heavily on newspaper information
rather than scholarly reports.  Maybe we will see these reports in the
third edition.