Italy’s ‘circle of legality’: The confiscation and social use of assets in the fight against the mafia

Phillips, Amber; Di Buccio, Stefania

Abstract

In Italy the term ‘mafia’ is used to refer to a number of different criminal organisations, including (but not limited to): Sicily’s cosa nostra; the camorra (from the region of Campania); the Calabrian ’ndrangheta; and Puglia’s Sacra Corona Unita, as well as a number of foreign mafias operating on Italian territory. While these groups differ in terms of their structure and organisation, they share certain key characteristics: they are all secret criminal organisations seeking to control territory and accumulate economic resources for the benefit of their members, operating across illegal and legal markets at national and international level. Financial and social prestige are two key sources of mafia power, and the economic impact of mafia activities is substantial, persisting in the economic and social fabric and negatively impacting free competition long after individual offenders have served their time. Recognising the distinct nature of mafia criminality, Italy has developed a specific regulatory framework in response to this economic threat.

Citation

Phillips, A., & Di Buccio, S. (2023). Italy’s ‘circle of legality’: The confiscation and social use of assets in the fight against the mafia. In D. Jasinski, A. Phillips, & E. Johnston (Eds.), Organised Crime, Financial Crime, and Criminal Justice: Theoretical Concepts and Challenges. (1). Taylor & Francis (Routledge)

• Online Publication Date: May 15, 2023
• Publication Date: May 15, 2023
• Deposit Date: May 15, 2023
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Series Title: The Law of Financial Crime
• Edition: 1
• Book Title: Organised Crime, Financial Crime, and Criminal Justice: Theoretical Concepts and Challenges
• Chapter Number: 2
• ISBN: 9780367897451
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10785912
• Publisher URL: https://www.routledge.com/Organised-Crime-Financial-Crime-and-Criminal-Justice-Theoretical-Concepts/Jasinski-Phillips-Johnston/p/book/9780367897451