Crimes in the 1930's “ He who is deaf, blind, and silent will live a hundred years in peace.”- Sicilian Proverb. This commonly known quote has a deep meaning, it conveys that if you do nothing and stay quiet you will not be involved in conflict. It can also means you desire peace you will not be in threat, living by these rules. This relates to crimes and criminals in the 1930s because in this time period culprits committed crimes without getting caught because of the fact that they did not leave a trace. They roamed the streets and would cause trouble to people passing by. The Ku Klux Klan (K.K.K.), Mafia, and even the Prohibition Era in general caused one of worst crimes to happen during the 1930s. The 1930s was a hazardous and corrupt time period to live in. First of all the year 1930 was a crime absorbed time because of the Mafias roaming around the streets civilians live in. Mafias when fighting against other gangs would often involve the death of innocent citizens. Mafias and made lots of money back then because there was no way to trace where they were or to trace their next move due to the lack of technology. Mafias also made a lot of money with illegal selling of alcohol due to the Prohibition Era they were making a lot of illegal profits and were bypassing the law because local police were also involved in the illegal consumption(Prohibition 1) . In the article Lucky Luciano – Organizes The Commission it states,”The 1930s were a prosperous time for Luciano (Italian-American mobster and crime boss). With the control of the commission he was able to increase his reach in illegal gambling, bootlegging, loan-sharking and labor rackets.” Luciano was a successful Mafia boss and he made a lot money with his illegal ways. When other Mafias interfered in another Mafias territory way this results in violence. Loan sharking is another main problem because the economy was in a poor state resulting in citizens not having jobs and good pay to make a living. Because of this loan sharking made it quite difficult for anybody to pay the Mafia back. Secondly with the Prohibition Era it made criminal activity expand in growth. With the Prohibition Era people would go around buying illegal liquor and this would result in a rise of deaths. Many deaths happened because people would often buy liquor and alcohol from shady sellers or even mafias. A lot of times people wouldn't know what they were consuming and wouldn't mind because of how addicting alcohol was. Alcohol is a a beverage everyone gets hooked on, which is the root of why many people to go to such extends to have just a sip of the drink. Alcohol brought in many people and made those who owned the speakeasies or places where alcohol is sold, lot in profit. With the production of alcohol, accompanying it was a rise in gang violence and other crimes lead to wanting support for Prohibition by the end of the 1920s (History.com Staff 1). The Prohibition Era was the main leading source and cause of crimes and violence. The Prohibition Era led to many other unwanted crimes because with people making a lot in profit selling illegal liquor the Mafia took up on the chance. Al Capone earned $60 million annually selling illegal liquor (History Staff 1). He is one of the most famously known Mafia bosses, he made a lot in profit and often time had disputes with other gangs or Mafias because of how popular his mafia was becoming all because of the increase in money they were earning. With disputes this would sometimes lead into death of Mafia members. In addition the Klu Klux Klan or KKK made it and extremely difficult and tough time for anybody to walk in the dark especially if their skin was of a darker shade. KKK would often include members whose job is to maintain the law in order and those people would overlook and backup other members when they commit crimes against African American resident. KKK would often harm and attack innocent African Americans. Sometimes they would often kill them as a warning to other African Americans other warnings would be members putting burnt crosses on their yards. The KKK committed hateful crimes and showed discrimination against the African Americans because their skin is different shade and not the same as theirs. They never gotten the rightful consequences for their crimes. The Klu Klux Klan all had a main objective, to restore white supremacy(History.com Staff 1). They did not like how African Americans had the same rights as them and the were considered and to be treated the same as them. They wished for things to go back to when the were slaves, and not humans. They wanted the whites to be superior and to accomplish they wished to drive out all African Americans and to wipe them out. In conclusion many things made the 1930s a hazardous and corrupt time period to live in. Firstly the Mafia's made it difficult for anybody to be safe or know that they are. Police not being able to locate where there are and being bribed so easily. Secondly the KKK making it difficult for any African American to roam the streets at night without having the fear of anybody jumping them at any second. In addition the Prohibition Era made steady rise in crimes occur in the time it was ratified. As Albert Einstein said “The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil but because of the people who don't do anything about it.” In the end the 1930s was a crime-filled time period that nobody could stop. But the government and citizens worked to remove all of the bad of time a restore the balance of good.
Al Capone also known as Scarface getting mug shot
A lady during the 1930's sneaking alcohol into her beverage
The KKK with their proper attire and the leader with his proper attire
Charles Luciano also known as Lucky Luciano getting a mug shots