Patterns and Evolution of Italian Mafia Presence in Foreign Countries between 2000 and 2020

• In Event: Organized crime: Institutions, attitudes, functioning

Abstract

This study analyses the presence and activities of the Italian mafias worldwide using official reports of the Italian anti-mafia authorities from 2000 to 2020. It updates and expands a previous macro-level study (Calderoni et al. 2016) and complements existing case studies. The study extracted any reference to the four main types of Italian mafias in foreign countries and classified them into six categories of activities. Descriptive analysis, correlations, and multiple correspondence analysis identified associations among countries, mafias and activities. Comparison of the 2000-2010 and 2010-2020 periods enabled exploration of temporal changes.
Results showed that some countries (often advanced economies) were more frequently associated with certain types of mafias and activities than others. Furthermore, comparison between 2000-2010 and 2010-2020 identifies changes across countries and activities.
The study reveals specific patterns and evolution of the presence of the Italian mafias abroad. It also discusses the limitations of using data from official reports for exploring macro-level patterns of mobility of criminal groups. Lastly, it suggests directions for future research by identifying countries and activities currently under researched.

Author

• Francesco Calderoni, Transcrime / Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan)