Rise of Crime In January of 1919, the 18th amendment was passed which stated “ … The manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors … For beverage purpose is hereby prohibited” (Constitution). Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many counties and some states were already dry. Even though the 18th amendment was to stop drinking all together, it did not even come close. Prohibition created a large number of bootleggers, which are people that sell alcohol illegally. In addition, speakeasies, or bars that sold illegal alcohol, were across the country. These bootleggers and speakeasies created a large amount of gangs, which led to a massive amount of crime throughout the prohibition time period.
Bootleggers, also known …show more content…
“Wars among gangs, producing grisly killings, frequently made headlines” (Organized Crime). One of those most heinous crimes was the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre which happened in 1929. “Orchestrated by Capone, the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre was one example of numerous murders committed by mobsters in their quest for territory to distribute illegal booze” (Prohibition and Crime). The massacre consisted of several men from an Irish gang getting shot to death by some of Capone’s men dressed as police officers. Even though Capone was never charged for the murders almost everyone knew that he was the one behind it but because one of the members shot wouldn’t speak, Capone was never punished. “In the few minutes before he died, they (the actual police officers) pressed him to reveal what had happened, but Gusenberg wouldn’t talk” (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre). Although many say that the crime rate went down during prohibition, the violent crime rate went up drastically. “Overall violent crime such as murders, batteries, and assaults increased by 13 percent” (Prohibition and Crime). With the amount of violent crime rising in the United States, the government had to step in and do something to stop these
Bootleggers, also known …show more content…
“Wars among gangs, producing grisly killings, frequently made headlines” (Organized Crime). One of those most heinous crimes was the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre which happened in 1929. “Orchestrated by Capone, the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre was one example of numerous murders committed by mobsters in their quest for territory to distribute illegal booze” (Prohibition and Crime). The massacre consisted of several men from an Irish gang getting shot to death by some of Capone’s men dressed as police officers. Even though Capone was never charged for the murders almost everyone knew that he was the one behind it but because one of the members shot wouldn’t speak, Capone was never punished. “In the few minutes before he died, they (the actual police officers) pressed him to reveal what had happened, but Gusenberg wouldn’t talk” (St. Valentine’s Day Massacre). Although many say that the crime rate went down during prohibition, the violent crime rate went up drastically. “Overall violent crime such as murders, batteries, and assaults increased by 13 percent” (Prohibition and Crime). With the amount of violent crime rising in the United States, the government had to step in and do something to stop these