Essay on Al Capone  - Analysis of Causes of Crime

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Introduction Gangs and gangsters have been in existence for several centuries already. Some historians say that the word thug started in India in the year 1200 AD. At that time the word thug meant a gang of criminals that roamed the country pillaging towns in their course. (Lou Savelli, 2001) In the United States, gang problems are said to have started in 17th Century when the migration started. In the 18th Century, gang problem became worse as the new generation of immigrants continue to enter the United States. During this time, Irish gangs like Whyos, Dead Rabbits and Plug Uglies and Jewish gangs like the Monk Eastman Gang brought terror in New York City streets (Lou Savelli, 2001). In the 19th Century, the most notorious gang was formed – the Five Points Gang. One of the most notorious members of the Five Points Gang was a young boy of Italian descent in the name of Alphonse Capone also known as Scarface. His whole life was an illustration of the power and influence of organized crime in the United States during the 19th Century (“Al Capone”). He was born on January 17, 1899 to Immigrant parents who came from Naples, Italy. He was the fourth of nine children of Gabriel Capone and Teresa Capone. In search for the land of milk and honey, Gabriel Capone and Teresa Capone migrated to the United States. Their gamble however did not pay off as they experienced poverty and misery in the United Stats. Gabriel Capone could not manage to support his family. Poor and illiterate, he only managed to get a job as a grocer and as a barber in one of the barbershops in Brooklyn (David Wallechinsky, 1981). Gabriel Capone could not even pay for the family’s monthly rate. As a result, Teresa had to work as a dressmaker leaving nobody to give guidance to their nine children. The family finally settled in Brooklyn where Gabrielle Capone managed to open his own

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