By Salvatore Contorno's account, the majority of the mafia's customers are ordinary businessmen who need protection against thieves, although he makes it perfectly clear that, if only to protect their customers efficiently, mafiosi must be in contact with the underworld (for, as we shall see, thieves may also be protected). Contorno, asked by the judge about the relationship between petty criminals and the family, testified: "We looked for the boys who ran around committing robberies. We approached them, [told them] not to do silly things in the district, not to steal. If they were able men, we tried to turn them into men of honor" (TC-GdS, April 19, 1986). He denied that policing petty criminals is a straightforward matter and added that, although in principle one needs explicit permission to steal in a particular area, not all thieves know somebody in the Cosa Nostra, so they may leave the district and steal independently.

QUESTION: How does the mafia reconcile protecting legitimate businessmen while recruiting 'able men' thieves into their own ranks?

Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Busi…, loc. 438