Measuring the presence of the mafias in Italy

Abstract

Despite the relevance of the mafias for the Italian society, official and academic attempts to measure the presence of the mafias in the country are scarce. This loophole may affect the quality of research and policies against the mafias. This chapter discusses the measurement and the mapping of different types of mafias developed by Transcrime for the Italian Ministry of Interior. It presents the mafia index, which measures the presence of the mafias at the municipal level for the period 2000-2011. Further, it analyses the presence of five main types of mafias (Cosa Nostra, Camorra, 'Ndrangheta, Apulian organised crime and other mafias). Finally, it discusses implications for research and policy in Italy and other countries.