Investigating the Russian Mafia

Joseph Serio, who spent years in the Soviet Union and Russia, following its demise, argues that there isn't some organized, heirarchical structure for the “Russian Mafia,” but rather many criminal groups which have been taught through centuries of opression and totalitarianism how to make illicit profits. This was largely borne out of necessity, especially during the Russian period, where the laws were so oppressive, one literally had to violate the law just to stay alive. Unfortunately, so many of these otherwise good citizens were sent to jail. Many of them learned new trades while in very harsh prisons and had new skill sets and contacts upon leaving.

I think Serio's bottom line is that centuries of harsh rule have created a culture within the peoples of the former Soviet Union to look out for themselves without regard to their neighbors. It was a means for survival. Their criminal groups were no more violent nor aggressive, but feared largely due to the United States antagonism towards the Soviet Union for 50 years. And because of our own cultural and entertainment experience with the American Mafia and their structure, we project our assumptions on their crime groups; projections which have no basis in reality.

This was a good book to help demystify the phenomenon of the Russian Mafia into how it should be viewed, which is a normal, organized crime phenomenon.