On May 20, 1929, U.S. President Herbert Hoover established the Wickersham Commission (officially called the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement). Former Attorney General George W. Wickersham headed the 11-member group charged with identifying the causes of criminal activity and to make recommendations for appropriate public policy (mostly gang activity).
The Commission focused its investigations almost entirely on the widespread violations of national alcohol prohibition to study and recommend changes to the Eighteenth Amendment, and to observe police practices in the states. They observed police interrogation tactics and reported that "the inflicting of pain, physical or mental, to extract confessions or statements... is widespread throughout the country". They released a second report in 1931 that supported Prohibition but found contempt among average Americans and unworkable enforcement across the states, corruption in police ranks, local politics, and problems in every community that attempted to enforce prohibition laws.
The Commission's final report, commonly known as The Wickersham Report, which was released on January 7, 1931. It documented the widespread evasion of Prohibition and its negative effects on American society and recommended much more aggressive and extensive law enforcement to enforce compliance with anti-alcohol laws.The report castigated the police for their "general failure... to detect and arrest criminals guilty of the many murders, spectacular bank, payroll and other holdups and sensational robberies with guns".
-This was ranked as number seven because the Wickersham Committee was involved in one of the rare times that the government had admitted that they made a mistake. Through the evidence of increased gang violence and bootlegging, the Wickersham Committee brought the Eighteenth Amendment under stricter scrutiny. It is know that the amendment would later on be repealed to acquire more money through the sale of alcohol during the Great Depression.
The Commission focused its investigations almost entirely on the widespread violations of national alcohol prohibition to study and recommend changes to the Eighteenth Amendment, and to observe police practices in the states. They observed police interrogation tactics and reported that "the inflicting of pain, physical or mental, to extract confessions or statements... is widespread throughout the country". They released a second report in 1931 that supported Prohibition but found contempt among average Americans and unworkable enforcement across the states, corruption in police ranks, local politics, and problems in every community that attempted to enforce prohibition laws.
The Commission's final report, commonly known as The Wickersham Report, which was released on January 7, 1931. It documented the widespread evasion of Prohibition and its negative effects on American society and recommended much more aggressive and extensive law enforcement to enforce compliance with anti-alcohol laws.The report castigated the police for their "general failure... to detect and arrest criminals guilty of the many murders, spectacular bank, payroll and other holdups and sensational robberies with guns".
-This was ranked as number seven because the Wickersham Committee was involved in one of the rare times that the government had admitted that they made a mistake. Through the evidence of increased gang violence and bootlegging, the Wickersham Committee brought the Eighteenth Amendment under stricter scrutiny. It is know that the amendment would later on be repealed to acquire more money through the sale of alcohol during the Great Depression.
The Eighteenth Amendment, Prohibition, was the main cause for the creation of the National Crime Syndicate. Although its origins are uncertain, many writers on organized crime believe that the syndicate was a thought of Johnny "The Fox" Torrio and was formally established at a conference in Atlantic City in May 1929. Many who attended this meeting were the leading "underworld figures" throughout the United States: Lucky Luciano, Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, Frank Costello, Joe Adonis, Dutch Schultz, Abner "longy" Zwilliam, etc. It is said that this was a meeting on the strategy on bootlegging in result of the Prohibition.
The difference between a Syndicate and a gang is that although a syndicate may have violent members or perform hits, they are mainly a national (or international) business and in 1929, the National Crime Syndicate focused on what men would do anything to get their hands on, alcohol. The Syndicate is dubbed the nickname Murder Inc. after some Brooklyn mafiosi took control of making sure "payments were being made". This Syndicate is still a very secretive topic that not many know about. Even the alleged mobsters that were proven to be at some sort of meeting deny that there was ever a Committee.
-This is ranked number eight because of the importance of the Syndicate to Prohibition. These were the men in charge of keeping the speakeasies and under ground bars open, making millions in profit. Some have said that the twenty leaders of the Committee had more power and men working for them than the President and Prime Minister in England combined! Even though their dealings were illegal and just plain wrong, no one can undermine the shear business skill of the National Crime Syndicate.
The difference between a Syndicate and a gang is that although a syndicate may have violent members or perform hits, they are mainly a national (or international) business and in 1929, the National Crime Syndicate focused on what men would do anything to get their hands on, alcohol. The Syndicate is dubbed the nickname Murder Inc. after some Brooklyn mafiosi took control of making sure "payments were being made". This Syndicate is still a very secretive topic that not many know about. Even the alleged mobsters that were proven to be at some sort of meeting deny that there was ever a Committee.
-This is ranked number eight because of the importance of the Syndicate to Prohibition. These were the men in charge of keeping the speakeasies and under ground bars open, making millions in profit. Some have said that the twenty leaders of the Committee had more power and men working for them than the President and Prime Minister in England combined! Even though their dealings were illegal and just plain wrong, no one can undermine the shear business skill of the National Crime Syndicate.