The intensification of extortion may in fact prove that Falcone was right and that while the authentic mafia is withdrawing into more specialized areas, groups of dilettantes are entering the business—and making a mess of it. Moreover, the consequences of the absence of so many top mafiosi—whether in prison, on the run, or unnaturally deceased—have yet to be taken into account. A lasting reputation in this trade is not easy to improvise, and mafia bosses cannot be replaced overnight.

Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Busi…, loc. 674