I explain the abundance of hackers in Eastern Europe this way. The government supports black hats implicitly by giving them special treatment in criminal court. They are raised in the black market and gain their skills there. When they become prominent enough to gain the notice of the authorities they are given a plea bargain. They can either rot in prison for a decade or join the government and hack for the state. Young hackers can act with impunity knowing that the worst that can happen is they receive a cushy office job. The USA doesn't have this system.