The "war to end all wars" was over, but a new one was just beginning - on the streets of America. In one big city alone - Chicago - an estimated 1,300 gangs had spread like a deadly virus by the mid-1920s. By 1926, more than 12,000 murders were taking place every year across America. With the bootlegging and speakeasies the "Roaring Twenties" also saw bank robbery, kidnapping, auto theft, gambling, and drug trafficking become increasingly common crimes. Some gangsters, perhaps most notably Al Capone, have become infamous. 2003 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Al Capone. Capone went on to leave a lasting impression on western culture - the American Gangster.

• William Hootkins