From Damon Runyan's colourful tough guys in black shirts and white ties to recent media coverage of John Gotti, the "dapper don", public depictions of racketeers in the United States have drawn attention away from the true nature of organized crime and its extensive penetrations into mainstream business. This study strips away the romantic patina and reveals the significant impact of racketeering on vital segments of American industry. Robert Kelly explores two fundamental questions: "Why is organized crime a serious problem in some businesses and industries, and not in others?" and "What are the consequences of racketeering activities for labour organizations and businesses tainted by a criminal presence?". He examines the blurred demarcation between the legitimate and illegitimate sectors of society and explains the reasons for this occurrence. In the process, Kelly provides a distinct vantage point for understanding organized crime, not just as an "outlaw fringe" preying on society, but as a disturbingly integral element of our social and economic structure. Moreover, he confirms a widely held thesis that organized crime is not merely parasitic but an institutional component of American society. The text affords a view of the current state of organized crime in the United States and the rise of non-traditional criminal organizations in new immigrant communities.