The darkest depths of the organized underworld, from mobsters in the U.S. to Hells Angels in Germany to child armies in Africa

Historically, those outside the law have always tended to band together in pursuit of riches and power, eventually spawning the murky, brutal world of today's organized crime discussed here. This book traces the origins of the archetypical, modern gangster to 1920s America, when Prohibition turned street-corner hoodlums into rich and powerful businessmen. From that beginning, highly organized and ferociously protective gangs have become prevalent throughout the world. Despite their despicable methods, we are still fascinated by their labyrinthine networks, and this book reveals how did gangs formed, how they wield their power, how they maintain their secretive societies, and how they evade the massive forces of law and order arrayed against them.