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Image for event: The History of Organized Crime

Registration now closed

The History of Organized Crime

Presented by Debra Dreisbach

2025-03-26 18:00:00 2025-03-26 19:00:00 America/New_York The History of Organized Crime Cape May Court House - Presentation Room

Wednesday, March 26
6:00pm - 7:00pm

Add to Calendar 2025-03-26 18:00:00 2025-03-26 19:00:00 America/New_York The History of Organized Crime Registration requested. Cape May Court House - Presentation Room

Cape May Court House

Presentation Room

Registration requested.

All events are tentatively scheduled and may change. Please see the CMCL Events Calendar on our website, follow us on social media, and subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter for any and all updates.


Lemons, Sicily, and John Gotti: The History of Organized Crime, Italy to present day

In Sicily, the Mafia began as a way of life; a way to protect one's family and loved ones from the injustice of the government.   Sicily's long string of judicially inept governments fostered an environment where those who were shrewd enough could manipulate the system to their advantage, creating wealth, power, and prestige.

For many years, Italy turned a blind eye to the activities of the Mafia, which is not the case anymore.  Throughout Italy, there is a concerted effort among all factions of society to address and eradicate the Mafia’s influence.  The Mafia not only operates illegitimately, but also infiltrates legitimate businesses. For years, politicians, judges and citizen groups have collectively mobilized to remove the Mafia’s influence and intimidation. 

Between 1880 and 1920, a wave of Italian immigrants, including many Sicilians, arrived in the U.S., fleeing poverty, political instability, and limited economic opportunities. The Prohibition Era provided a turning point for Sicilian organized crime.

 

Professor Dreisbach currently teaches at PSU-LV and came to PSU-LV from the PSU Berks campus, where she helped grow and develop the Criminal Justice program, from 2016 to 2022. Prior to teaching full-time, Professor Dreisbach worked in the federal government, where she was employed as a Special Agent/Criminal Investigator, from 1987 through 2013. As an investigator, she specialized in financial crime, money laundering, public corruption, and counterterrorism. Throughout her time as an investigator, Professor Dreisbach was stationed in Maryland, Richmond, Virginia, and Philadelphia, PA.  She served on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, at the FBI office in Philadelphia, from 2008 through 2013.

While an investigator, Professor Dreisbach was also a firearms instructor and was responsible for qualifying agents quarterly on the use of handguns and semi-automatic weapons. She spent time in dignitary protection and was responsible for protecting members of the President’s cabinet and members of Congress when they traveled overseas. Her work in dignitary protection in foreign countries inspired her love of travel overseas.

In her role at Penn State, she created and leads the course Organized Crime in Film & Society, in Palermo and Rome, Italy, for three weeks each summer.

Professor Dreisbach is currently appointed to, by then Attorney General, Josh Shapiro, the Governing Board of the Commonwealth Investigator Training Program (CITP), which was created to provide professional, standardized training to Agents in various Pennsylvania investigative agencies. She also serves on the advisory board for Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, a social-service fraternity, at West Chester University.

She enjoys the beach, reading, and crime documentaries.


Please review our Adult Events Attendance Policy.

Have feedback? We'd love to hear from you! Fill out our online feedback form here!

AGE GROUP: | 18 or older |

EVENT TYPE: | Education |

TAGS: | mafia | history | government | crime |

Cape May Court House

Phone: 609-463-6350

Hours

Cape May Court House

Mon, May 05 8:30AM to 9:00PM
Tue, May 06 8:30AM to 9:00PM
Wed, May 07 8:30AM to 9:00PM
Thu, May 08 8:30AM to 9:00PM
Fri, May 09 8:30AM to 4:30PM
Sat, May 10 9:00AM to 4:30PM
Sun, May 11 Closed

Upcoming events

Fri, May 09, 9:15am - 10:15am
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Fri, May 09, 10:00am - 11:00am
Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room

Fri, May 09, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Cancelled
Fri, May 09, 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Lower Cape

Fri, May 09, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Cape May Court House - Teen Area

Sat, May 10, 9:30am - 10:30am
Lower Cape - Public Meeting Room

Sat, May 10, 10:00am - 11:00am
Upper Cape - Events Room

Sat, May 10, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Sea Isle City - Children's Room

Mon, May 12, 10:00am - 10:30am
Lower Cape - Joseph Millman Room

Mon, May 12, 10:00am - 12:30pm
Cape May Court House - Storytime Room

Mon, May 12, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Cape May City - Events Room North,Events Room South

Mon, May 12, 11:00am - 1:00pm
Lower Cape - Public Meeting Room

Mon, May 12, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Cape May Court House - Teen Area

Mon, May 12, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
Cape May City - Events Room North,Events Room South

Mon, May 12, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Wildwood Crest - 1st Floor Events Room

Mon, May 12, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
CMCL Online - Zoom

Mon, May 12, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Cancelled
Mon, May 12, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
New venue Cape May Court House - TLC Makerspace

Mon, May 12, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Cape May Court House - Presentation Room

Tue, May 13, 9:30am - 10:30am
Cape May City - Events Room North,Events Room South

Tue, May 13, 10:00am - 10:45am
Upper Cape - Events Room

Tue, May 13, 10:00am - 10:30am
Stone Harbor - Events Room

Cancelled
Tue, May 13, 10:00am - 11:00am
Sea Isle City

Cancelled
Tue, May 13, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Stone Harbor

Tue, May 13, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Sea Isle City - Conference Room
This event is full

Tue, May 13, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Stone Harbor - Events Room

Tue, May 13, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Cape May Court House - Storytime Room

Tue, May 13, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Cape May Court House

Tue, May 13, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Cape May Court House - TLC Makerspace

Wed, May 14, 9:15am - 10:15am
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Wed, May 14, 10:00am - 10:30am
Sea Isle City - Children's Room

Wed, May 14, 10:00am - 11:00am
Lower Cape - Public Meeting Room

Wed, May 14, 10:30am - 11:30am
Cape May City - Events Room North,Events Room South

Wed, May 14, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Lower Cape - Public Meeting Room

Wed, May 14, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room
Registration is now closed

Cancelled
Wed, May 14, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Cape May Court House

Wed, May 14, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Woodbine - Children's Room

Wed, May 14, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Stone Harbor - Events Room

Wed, May 14, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Lower Cape - Joseph Millman Room

Wed, May 14, 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Cape May Court House - Presentation Room

Wed, May 14, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room

Wed, May 14, 5:00pm - 7:30pm
Lower Cape - Public Meeting Room

Wed, May 14, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Thu, May 15, 10:00am - 10:30am
Woodbine - Children's Room

Thu, May 15, 10:00am - 10:45am
Cape May Court House - Storytime Room

Thu, May 15, 10:00am - 11:30am
Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room

Cancelled
Thu, May 15, 10:00am - 10:30am
Wildwood Crest

Thu, May 15, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Lower Cape - Public Meeting Room

Thu, May 15, 11:30am - 12:30pm
Upper Cape - Events Room

Thu, May 15, 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Cape May City - Events Room North,Events Room South

Thu, May 15, 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Stone Harbor - Events Room

Thu, May 15, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Cape May Court House - Teen Area

Thu, May 15, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Cape May Court House - Storytime Room
This event is full

Thu, May 15, 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Upper Cape - Events Room

Cancelled
Thu, May 15, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Cape May Court House

Thu, May 15, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Lower Cape - Public Meeting Room

Thu, May 15, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Cape May Court House - Storytime Room

Fri, May 16, 9:15am - 10:15am
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Cancelled
Fri, May 16, 10:00am - 11:00am
Lower Cape

Fri, May 16, 10:00am - 11:00am
Sea Isle City - Public Meeting Room

Cancelled
Fri, May 16, 10:00am - 11:00am
Sea Isle City

Fri, May 16, 1:00pm - 3:30pm
Stone Harbor - Events Room
This event is full

Fri, May 16, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Wildwood Crest - 2nd Floor Events Room

Fri, May 16, 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Lower Cape - Public Meeting Room

Fri, May 16, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Cape May Court House - Teen Area