Russian mafia in America : immigration, culture, and crime / James O. Finckenauer, Elin J. Waring.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Finckenauer, James O.

Contributor:

Waring, Elin J.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Russian American criminals--United States.

Russian American criminals.

Organized crime--United States.

Organized crime.

United States.

Physical Description:

xvi, 303 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Boston : Northeastern University Press, [1998]

Summary:

Does a "Russian Mafia" really exist? This book seeks to answer that question by examining the intricate history of Russian organized crime in both its homeland and the United States. It investigates in detail such topics as the characteristics of the Russian criminal tradition of Vory v Zakone ("thieves professing the code"), contemporary Russian mobs, criminal activity among Russian immigrants, claims of KGB involvement in American crime, and connections between crime bosses and gangsters in both countries.

Drawing on research conducted in cooperation with the Tri-State Joint Soviet-emigre Organized Crime Project as well as on privileged access to confidential information, James O. Finckenauer and Elin J. Waring particularly focus on criminal networks in the New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania area. They also report on a nationwide survey of law enforcement agencies and examine major criminal cases, notably Russian participation with Cosa Nostra families in bootleg gasoline schemes.

The Russian Mafia in America is the first in-depth study on Russian organized crime since the break-up of the Soviet Union and the arrival of the latest wave of immigrants to the United States. It is an eye-opening expose of major players in America's underworld and a significant contribution to the literature on organized crime.

Contents:

Chapter 2 Organized Crime: Mafias, Myths, and Ethnicity 10

Chapter 3 Early Waves of Russian Immigration to the United States 38

Chapter 4 "New" Russians Come to America 65

Chapter 5 The Russian Criminal Tradition 92

Chapter 6 The New Russian Mobs 115

Chapter 7 An Overview of Soviet Emigre Crime in the United States 143

Chapter 8 The Structure of Soviet Emigre Crime 167

Chapter 9 How Soviet Emigres View Soviet Emigre Crime 201

Chapter 10 Is There a Russian Mafia in America? 229

Appendix A Sampling for the National Survey 269

Appendix B Multivariate Analysis of the Survey 271

Appendix C Network Analysis 275.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [269]-292) and index.

ISBN:

1555533744

OCLC:

39007246