Answer to Question 1
Answer: It is estimated that street crime costs about 16 billion lost from property crime and robbery. For white-collar crime the estimated loss is 588 billion annually.
Answer to Question 2
Answer: In emphasizing Italian domination, this particular myth ignores the long history of organized crime before Italian immigration and overlooks the involvement of many other ethnic and racial groups. It also diverts attention from organized crimes roots in poverty, in the readiness of citizens to pay for the goods and services it provides, and in the willingness of politicians, law enforcement agents, and legitimate businesses to take bribes and otherwise cooperate with organized crime.