I would like to suggest a further realistic suggestion about associates invites.The following are :

1. You can only send an invite to someone in the locals or in the same city that you are in
2. You can also send an invite when that user is in your home city because
   you have your boys/homies in there where you could contact him/her to
   be an associate.

 PROs:This will further make the game more realistic plus it will lessen the random associate invite by some users.

CON's: I cant think of an cons but the fact that inviting an associate will be hard..

eh... the idea could use some work but a con would be that people could change cities to make a quick buck and if you don't remember the name and how it is spelled didn't get it in contacts or what ever this would be really hard especially if you "Reply and delete" all of your messages and regularly delete your sent box. but it could use some work and be a good idea i just can't support it right now. sorry 

I think you shouldn't be able to invite someone until they are a gangster or goomba or even an earner... I also think the person should HAVE to be online to have it sent, and any invites not accepted when the user logs off should be removed, and a note sent to the sender of the invite saying it was declined (same going for if the player has multiple invites and accepts one).

This forces the individual (if it is a truly new player, not a returning one who knows where he/she is going) to think about things without just jumping into the family that they read the recruitment letter first.  Also, it means that the recruiter has to arrange a time for them to actually meet up to get the invite. 

It seems that recruitment has become, for the most part, a mass mail to every new player on the scene.  Which, really, is not a problem... but it is unrealistic.  It's not like actual mafioso hang out at the docks tossing propaganda at every person coming off the boats... the thing is, if you don't hit them up right away, then the others who do will get them... so even if you want to be realistic, you cannot or you will lose out.