Criminal Clans: Identity, Gender, and Policy Challenges

Session Submission Type: Pre-arranged Panel

Abstract

This panel explores the historical, social, and criminological dimensions of clans, from their anthropological roots to their role in organized crime. It examines how kinship-based structures have evolved, transitioning from mechanisms of social cohesion to informal regulatory systems, including criminal enterprises. The discussion also addresses policy interventions, highlighting multi-agency strategies that balance repression, prevention, and social empowerment. A key focus is the overlooked role of women in criminal clans, revealing their involvement in financial operations and logistical coordination while navigating patriarchal constraints. Finally, the panel critically assesses the intersection of ethnic identity and organized crime, challenging stereotypes and exploring how historical prejudices shape perceptions of clan-based criminality.

Subtopic

• Topic 2: Types of Offending / Organized Crime (Organized Crime WG)

Chair

• Mahmoud Jaraba, FAU Research Centre for Islam and Law in Europe (FAU EZIRE)

Individual Presentations

• The Anthropological Roots of Clans: From Kinship to Social and Criminal Structures - Dina Siegel, Utrecht University

• Silent Power: The Role of Women in Criminal Clans - Mahmoud Jaraba, FAU Research Centre for Islam and Law in Europe (FAU EZIRE)

• Ethnicity trap and Radicalisation of Oppression: Understanding Membership and Calabrian Identity in the Context of ’Ndrangheta Clans” - Anna Sergi, University of Essex

• Criminal clans and family-based criminal networks in Europe - Interventions and policies - Hans Moors, EMMA