Since the DC Comics character's creation over 80 years ago, Batman has generally defined himself by his battles against the organized crime element of Gotham City -- and beyond. Even the original version of the character in the late '30s and the '40s embodied this in its own way, but the early '70s laid the groundwork for the iteration most fans know today.
Source:https://www.cbr.com/how-organized-crime-evolved-in-batmans-world/