> The grim, yet in all probability accurate, reality is that confronting the prospect of spending numerous decades incarcerated is an exceedingly tough pill to swallow, particularly for individuals who've enjoyed rather comfortable existences and anticipated its continuation.

Yep, even with their omertà vows, that's what finally got the New York mob to start turning on each other. Nobody, even those street-hardened guys, wanted to spend decades or the rest of his life in prison, so they started cooperating with prosecutors.