Prohibition and Crime Flashcards
What did prohibition include in America in the 1920’s?
Congress passed the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, outlawing the manufacture, transport and sale of alcohol.
Why did several groups want to ban alcohol?
They believed it broke up homes and families and led to crime.
Employers believed it made workers unreliable.
Who was hired to make sure people didn’t make, move or sell alcohol?
Prohibition agents
What was a ‘speakeasy’?
They were like clubs that sold both food and as well as alcohol. They sold ‘bootleg’ alcohol this was made illegally in the USA or smuggled in from Mexico.
What was ‘moonshine’?
Home-brewed alcohol- this could be very dangerous to drink
How did prohibition cause an increase in organised crime?
Gangsters took over the sale and distribution of alcohol. Many people wanted to drink meaning there was plenty of customers and plenty of profit. They could then bribe the police, prohibition agents and judges.
Many businesses had to pay ‘protection’ money to the local gang, who would otherwise damage their business or even destroy it.
What were gang wars?
Rival gangs would fight each other for control over parts of cities.
What happened in the infamous gang war, in Chicago?
14th Feb 1929- St Valentines Day Massacre- Al Capone’s gang killed 7 members of the rival Bugs Moran gang.
No-one was ever arrested. This was not uncommon, that year there was around 400 gang related killings in Chicago.
People blamed prohibition for the gang violence, why?
Due to so many people disobeying the law, this allowed gangs to form giving them both money and power. They could bribe politicians and the police.
Why did prohibition fail?
- Not enough officers to enforce the law
- The law enforcement system was corrupted by organised crime
- There were too many Americans who wanted to drink alcohol
What was the prohibition enforcement problem?
- The Mexican border was too long. The only way to stop smuggling was to patrol this border constantly. (unachievable)
- Gangs made alcohol. People made their own alcohol.
- Prohibition officers were supposed to operate at a federal level however, they didn’t always find co-operation with police officers from in some states.
What was the prohibition corruption?
- Officers weren’t well paid, this was not much for the risk they took- gangs were likely to beat up or kill officers who threatened their business.
- If they co-operated they were given bribes. Some even worked for the gangs selling and delivering alcohol.
Why did prohibition fail because of public opinion?
Most people disagreed with the law. People who would not normally break the law did. Ordinary people who went to trial often had the sympathy from the judge and the jury
