The tendency to focus more on violence than on activities such as gathering intelligence can he attributed to the fact that usually when we read about organized crime, it is in the context of violence. Snooping is less newsworthy than murder. But violent action, while crucial, is only occasionally demanded of a mafioso (although it must always be perceived as a potential threat); by contrast, knowledge and discretion are actively required at all times.

XREF: Reverses the media-inflated perception that mafia operations center on violence, echoing how other clandestine professions rely on quiet competence rather than spectacle.

Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Busi…, loc. 792