While he was a charitable and charming as well powerful and vicious individual, Al Capone became an iconic character of the successful American gangster (Rosenberg, par, 1). Generally, Al Capone's involvement in criminal activities was fueled by the fact that he took full advantage of the criminal opportunities that were available during the Prohibition era.

The opportunities for committing criminal offenses during the Prohibition era demonstrate the application of Merton's theory of anomie in explaining Capone's involvement in these activities. Capone's involvement in crime was fueled by the enactment of Prohibition Amendment and the view of illegitimate brewing as growth industries. He intended to take total advantage of the opportunities presented in the perceived growth industries ("Famous Cases and Criminals," par, 1). During this period, there was an evident unequal distribution of opportunities to help in achievement of personal goals. This contributed to huge disparities in income among various classes...
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