Ep 13. Target: Mafia: Birth of the American Mafia

The episode titled "Target: Mafia: Birth of the American Mafia" from American Justice season 2 delves into the origins of the infamous American Mafia. The episode begins by exploring the early years of Italian-American immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries where many Italian migrants were met with hostility and discrimination. These abuses led many Italian immigrants to form their own communities, complete with their own social norms and moral codes. However, these tight-knit communities also incubated crime syndicates that would evolve into the American Mafia.

The episode then takes a deeper dive into the history of La Cosa Nostra, or the Italian-American Mafia. It highlights the Prohibition era, as the Volstead Act of 1919 outlawing alcohol production, importation, and transportation quickly led to a surge in organized crime. Mafiosos exploited the high demand for alcohol by importing and trafficking it from overseas, cementing their place as a force to be reckoned with in American crime.

The episode also focuses on one of the most notorious Mafia figures of the early 20th century, Charles "Lucky" Luciano. It describes Luciano's rise to power as a result of his business acumen and underworld connections. As his influence grew, he saw the opportunity for a more organized and efficient Mafia, one that could resolve conflicts within the organization and work more effectively with other criminal syndicates. Thus, the Five Families of New York were born, along with a completely new way of conducting business for the American Mafia.

The episode examines the various tactics and strategies that the Mafia used to become a dominant player in American organized crime, including bribery, extortion, and violence. It also delves into the initial efforts to combat the Mafia, primarily through the work of law enforcement agencies such as the newly created FBI.

Overall, "Target: Mafia: Birth of the American Mafia" offers a fascinating glimpse into the origins of one of the most notorious criminal organizations in American history. Through interviews with experts and historians, archival footage, and reenactments of key moments in the criminal history of America, this episode offers a comprehensive look at how the Mafia evolved and adapted to become the powerful force that it remains to this day.