Organized crime refers to those crimes involving ongoing criminal conspiracies over time, which therefore may be considered as organized or syndicated. Popular theories about the roots of organized crime concentrate on such characteristics as organization, hierarchy and structure, and kinship. However, these theories overlook the American roots of organized crime. American culture is based on such values as individualism, property, competitiveness, and freedom of action. These values have been perverted by the organized crime figures as a result of personal choice, not lack of opportunities. The importance of American culture can also be seen in the trend away from a rigid autocratic structure in Italian-American organized crime groups in New York metropolitan area towards 'democratization.' Like American values, organized crime is flexible and practical. It has moved from prostitution to pornography in film and home video cassettes as smoothly as technology and corporations. Like corporate evolution, it has evolved into a diversified multinational conglomerate, franchising criminal markets and firms. Relevant literature and history of organized crime are discussed. Notes and about 20 references are included.