The Mafia Chain of Command

• Capo Crimini or Capo de Tutti Capi - the boss of the bosses
• Consigliere - the trusted advisor or family counselor
• Capo Bastone - the second in command
• Contabile - the financial advisor
• Caporegime or Capodecina - a lieutenant who typically heads a fraction of ten or more soldiers comprising a crew
• Sgarrista - a foot soldier who carries out the day to day business of the family
• Piciotto - the lower ranking soldiers; enforcers
• Giovane D' Honore - an associate of the family such as a police officer or a politician

Each member of the society must agree to Omerta, a sicilian code of honor which forbids informing about crimes thought to be the affairs of persons involved. The structure of this pyramid type family was to be protected for any reason, for it was the foundation of the mafia. This structure has been used since the early origins of it and can even be witnessed in Mario Puzo's The Godfather. The reason it is still used today is because it simply works effectively, efficiently and most are to afraid to go against it.