In our world, it is obvious that there are things we never really see. For example, we don't know how many things are produced, what people do behind closed doors, and we never really want to find out. However, there is something happening right in front of our noses and we never know it. Organized crime is the only thing we don't know about and it happens out in the open. That pizza place you go to that has been around for years and then burns down when it starts to sink; or those people who seem innocent and then do something a little suspicious. These are both little things that happen that involve organized crime. Organized crime is all around us and has a huge effect on the way society works and the way we live. Something that people may underestimate and not really know is the sheer size of these gangs or organizations. In just four major crime families there are “250,000 affiliates worldwide.” (Federal Bureau of Investigation) With people all over the world smuggling drugs, evading taxes, killing or simply investing in businesses, who knows what may happen to our country or the entire world. There are also many different types of crimes and many crime families involved. There are affiliates and members “in Canada, South America, Australia and parts of Europe.” (Federal Bureau of Investigation). Not only are they huge organizations, but they often “collaborate with other international organized crime groups around the world” (Federal Bureau of Investigation). There is a very important system in a criminal organization and that is that orders come from above. In The Firm there is an order to kill two lawyers who were starting to talk to the FBI. So, the orders... middle of the paper... eenhaven, Gale, Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. This book had a lot of information about the history of organized crime in America, how they got there, and how things happen right before your eyes, and you'll never even know."The New York Times Sign in." The New York Times - Breaking news, world news and multimedia. Network. 04 May 2010. .This was an article about some men who have hit rock bottom with their organized crime. They were once the best, and then they crashed. Salerno, Ralph and John S. Tompkins. The Confederation of Crime; Cosa Nostra and similar operations in organized crime. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1969. Print. Here I got information about the difficulties and the origin of the crime. I also saw that it was hard to keep up, it's not an easy life.