Organized Crime During Prohibition: Bootleggers — Reading Comprehension

The United States government made the production, sale, and transport of alcoholic beverages illegal in 1920 with the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act. This period, known as Prohibition, was intended to reduce crime and improve the nation’s morals. However, it created a major problem instead: the rapid growth of organized crime. Because many Americans still wanted to drink, a secret industry of bootleggers—people who illegally made, smuggled, or sold alcohol—quickly emerged.

Some people believed Prohibition would create a healthier and safer society. Temperance groups argued alcohol led to poverty and violence. The government agreed, saying, “The saloon must go, and we shall do without it.” However, others saw the law as an attack on personal freedom and a threat to jobs in breweries, bars, and distilleries. As a result, many citizens ignored the new laws, and demand for alcohol remained strong.

With legal alcohol vanished, criminal syndicates filled the gap. Bootleggers smuggled liquor from places like Canada and the Caribbean. They bribed police, judges, and politicians to avoid arrest. Powerful gangsters such as Al Capone built vast networks to supply illegal drinks to hidden bars called speakeasies. In Chicago, Capone’s operations reportedly made $60 million a year. These profits allowed organized crime to expand into other illegal activities, including gambling and racketeering.

Law enforcement struggled to stop this criminal wave. Many police lacked resources or were simply paid off by bootleggers. Some government officials, frustrated by the lack of progress, called Prohibition “an unenforceable law.” A 1926 report stated, “Respect for all law has been greatly lessened.” This quote shows how the law’s failure damaged public trust and made people more likely to break other laws as well.

Not everyone saw bootleggers the same way. Some Americans viewed them as dangerous criminals who used violence to control their territory. Gang wars led to deaths and fear in cities. Others, however, saw bootleggers as folk heroes who outsmarted unpopular laws. For example, some people secretly admired their clever smuggling methods, like hiding bottles in hollowed-out loaves of bread or creating secret tunnels. Still, these actions fueled corruption and violence, making many neighborhoods unsafe.

The consequences of Prohibition were complex. While it did lower alcohol consumption in some communities, it also led to greater lawlessness, corruption, and organized crime. These problems convinced many Americans that the “noble experiment” had failed. In 1933, the Twenty-First Amendment repealed Prohibition, ending the nationwide ban on alcohol. However, the era left a permanent mark on American society and law enforcement, showing how unintended effects can sometimes outweigh the intentions of lawmakers.

Interesting Fact: During Prohibition, some doctors prescribed “medicinal whiskey,” allowing patients to buy alcohol legally at pharmacies.

What year did Prohibition begin?

Who was a famous gangster during Prohibition?

What was a 'speakeasy'?

Why did organized crime grow during Prohibition?

What effect did Prohibition have on law enforcement?

What did some people admire about bootleggers?

The Volstead Act enforced Prohibition. True or false?

What is a 'bootlegger'?