The goal of Prohibition was to get rid of the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol in the US. Even though this was a federal law, thousands of American citizens all over the country broke this law. One way they broke this law was by going to speakeasies. Speakeasies were secret bars that people could go to in order to obtain alcohol. Even though this went against the 18th amendment (the law that made alcohol illegal), thousands of Americans opened these speakeasies due to the fact that Americans were willing to pay a large amount of money for alcohol.
Along with the speakeasies, people found other ways to obtain alcohol. Bootleggers, people who illegally transported alcohol, helped to begin organized crime rings all over the country. This increase in crime rates also lead to increased violence (like a higher homicide rate), as gangs competed for business. Overall, Prohibition failed to reduce crime and reduce alcohol consumption rates.
