Mob Hierarchy

Not all mobs follow this exact structure, but this is the general idea:

## Boss

A boss typically has absolute or nearly absolute control over their subordinates, is greatly feared by their subordinates for their ruthlessness and willingness to take lives to exert their influence, and profits from the criminal endeavors in which their organization engages.

Only the boss, underboss or consigliere can initiate an associate into the family, allowing them to become a soldier. The boss can promote or demote family members at will, and has the sole power to sanction murders inside and outside the family. If the boss is incapacitated they assign an *acting boss* who responsible for running the crime family. When a boss dies the crime family members choose a new boss from inside the organisation.

## Underboss

This individual is the second-in-command. They are responsible for ensuring that profits from criminal enterprises flow up to the boss, and generally oversees the selection of the caporegime(s) and soldier(s) to carry out murders.The underboss may take control of the crime family after the boss's death. They keeps this position until a new boss is chosen, which in some cases is the Underboss.

## Consigliere

A consigliere is an advisor or counselor to the boss, with the additional responsibility of representing the boss in important meetings both within the boss's crime family and with other crime families. The consigliere is a close, trusted friend and confidant, the mob's version of an elder statesman; he is an advisor to the boss in a Mafia crime family, and sometimes is his 'right-hand man'. A consigliere is one of the few in the family who can argue with the boss, and is often tasked with challenging the boss when needed, to ensure subsequent plans are foolproof.

The boss, underboss, and consigliere constitute a three-man ruling panel, or "administration". The consigliere is third ranked in the hierarchy but does not have capos or soldiers working for him. There is usually only one consigliere per criminal organization.

## Capo

The capos may oversee as many soldiers as they can efficiently control. A capo is appointed by the family boss to run their own *borgata* (regime, or crew) of soldiers. Each capo reports directly to the underboss, who gives them the permission to perform criminal activities. If the family needs to murder someone, the underboss normally asks a capo to carry out the order. The capo runs the day-to-day operations of their crew. The capo's soldiers give part of their earnings to them, and then they give a share to the underboss. A capo can recommend to the underboss or boss that a recruit be allowed to join their crew as a mob associate.

## Soldier

The lowest level of mobster or gangster. A "soldier" must have taken the omertà (oath of silence), and in some organizations must have killed a person to be considered "family."  They are usually someone who does the day-to-day work of threatening, beating, and intimidating others.

## Associate

Also known as a man of honor, an associate is a person who is not a soldier in a crime family, but works for them and shares in the execution of and profits from the criminal enterprise.