The darkest depths of the organized underworld, from mobsters in the
U.S. to Hells Angels in Germany to child armies in Africa
Historically, those outside the law have always tended to band together
in pursuit of riches and power, eventually spawning the murky, brutal
world of today's organized crime discussed here. This book traces the
origins of the archetypical, modern gangster to 1920s America, when
Prohibition turned street-corner hoodlums into rich and powerful
businessmen. From that beginning, highly organized and ferociously
protective gangs have become prevalent throughout the world. Despite
their despicable methods, we are still fascinated by their labyrinthine
networks, and this book reveals how did gangs formed, how they wield
their power, how they maintain their secretive societies, and how they
evade the massive forces of law and order arrayed against them.