The Involvement of Mafia Groups and Organized Networks of White-Collar Criminals in Waste Crimes

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

Abstract

While a body of criminological literature has focused on the involvement of Mafia groups in waste crimes in Italy, another has emphasized the participation of organized groups of white-collar criminals in these illegal activities. However, limited research has investigated the specificities of the criminal activities related to waste management of these types of criminal groups. In particular, the literature has devoted limited attention to the unique motivations and methods of these two types of criminal groups and their possible interconnections.
This study analyses judicial cases on waste crimes to bridge this gap by examining the degree of similarity in the motivations and operational methods of Mafia groups and organized white-collar criminals who commit waste crimes, as well as their eventual interactions
The results suggest that the two types of groups commit distinct crimes. Mafia groups primarily engage in illegal waste management at the national level, while white-collar criminals tend to participate in illegal waste trafficking at both national and international levels. These differences align with the characteristics of the two groups and are similar to other illegal markets. For Mafia groups, illegal waste management is an additional service that maximizes their return on control of the territory and political connections. They apply illegal operational patterns from other industries, such as the construction sector, to waste management. In contrast, trafficking activities fit better with the loose network nature of white-collar criminal groups, which lack power of intimidation and political connections but are flexible and have numerous international connections within the waste management industry. Although interconnections between Mafia groups and white-collar criminal networks are uncommon, Mafia members occasionally collaborate with white-collar criminals to manage some aspects of the illegal process.

Authors

• Serena Favarin, Transcrime - Crime&tech / Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan)

• Alberto Aziani, Transcrime / Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan)