The Recruitment Into Organized Crime Groups: A Quantitative Exploration of the Criminal Career of Members of the Italian Mafias

• In Event: Mafia and Organized Crime: Leadership, Recruitment, and Facilitators

Abstract

Scholars agree on the fundamental role that different social and opportunity dynamics play on the recruitment and the career into organized crime. However, empirical analysis of careers within criminal groups is still scarce and mostly based on single case studies. In the context of the EU-funded Project PROTON, this paper explores the demographic, social and criminal background of organized crime members and their relation with careers in organized crime. The analysis relies on a new dataset of more than 10,000 convicted members of the Italian mafias and investigates the factors shaping mafia careers. Overall, project PROTON aims at providing a set of agent-based models explaining the recruitment into organized crime and terrorist networks.

Authors

• Tommaso Comunale, Università Cattolica – Transcrime

• Alberto Aziani, Università Cattolica - Transcrime

• Francesco Calderoni, Università Cattolica - Transcrime

• Gian Maria Campedelli, Università Cattolica – Transcrime

• Martina Elena Marchesi, Università Cattolica – Transcrime

• Ernesto Ugo Savona, Università Cattolica - Transcrime

• Andrea Scavo, Università Cattolica - Transcrime