The Genovese crime family, also known as the Westside, is an Italian-American Mafia organization and one of the 'Five Families' that have historically dominated organized crime in New York City and New Jersey as part of the broader American Mafia. Emerging from the violent Castellammarese War in the late 1920s, the family was formalized in 1931 under Charles 'Lucky' Luciano, who established the Commission—a governing body for Mafia families—and restructured New York's underworld into the Five Families to end internal conflicts. Initially operating as the Luciano family, it was renamed the Genovese crime family in 1957 when Vito Genovese, Luciano's longtime underboss, seized control following a power struggle. The family has maintained a low profile compared to others, earning a reputation for discipline and longevity, with influence extending beyond New York to smaller crime families in Philadelphia, Cleveland, the Patriarca family in New England, and Buffalo.

The Genovese family engages in traditional Mafia activities such as extortion, illegal gambling, loan sharking, labor racketeering, and narcotics trafficking, often infiltrating legitimate businesses like construction and waste management. In New Jersey alone, it operates multiple crews under capos, with around 40 ranked soldiers and over 400 associates reported in the early 2000s, alongside New York-based operations spilling into the state. Key historical events include the 1957 Apalachin Meeting, a national Mafia summit hosted at Joseph 'Joe the Barber' Barbara's estate in New York to affirm Genovese's leadership, which instead exposed the organization's scale to law enforcement and prompted federal crackdowns. Despite convictions of leaders like Genovese (imprisoned in 1959 for narcotics) and ongoing RICO prosecutions, the family persists under figures like Liborio 'Barney' Bellomo, adapting to modern challenges while preserving its hierarchical structure.

The Genovese family's power stems from its strategic alliances within the Commission and avoidance of high-visibility violence, allowing it to outlast rivals. It has faced numerous investigations, including FBI operations targeting its infiltration of unions and ports, but remains active in the 21st century, symbolizing the enduring resilience of the American Mafia amid evolving law enforcement tactics.