The Italian recipe: Civil society is an important building block for resilience against organized crime

Italy's commitment to fighting organised crime has been a central aspect of its political agenda since the mafia murders of judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. The country is internationally known for its effective measures against criminal syndicates and has one of the world's most sophisticated criminal justice systems.

The results of the Global Organized Crime Index 2023 show that Italy is one of the few countries in the world that, despite above-average crime rates, has a high level of resilience to organized crime. In particular, the country Resilience The score of 6.46 is higher than the crime rate of 6.22 and shows that, despite the widespread nature of organized crime, it can be effectively combated.

An anti-mafia culture

Civil society organisations and other non-state actors such as the Church and the private sector play an important role in Italy’s fight against organised crime. The landscape of non-state actors committed to combating organized crime ranks at the top in global comparison, scoring 7.5 out of 10 in the index.

The diversity of Italy’s public and civil responses to organised crime is presented every year at the Giorgio Ambrosoli Award Ceremony, The prize is awarded in honour of an Italian lawyer who was murdered in 1979 during one of his investigations. The Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC) participated in a panel discussion at the awards ceremony in Milan in July 2024, highlighting Italy's achievements as an example for other countries in Europe with high crime rates. The awards recognised 15 “silent heroes“, including a restaurant owner who had resisted extortion.

Another notable initiative is the The Trame Festivala cultural event dedicated to the fight against the mafia, serving as a forum for discussion, analysis and debate in the region of Calabria, home of the 'Ndrangheta. The festival is an expression of the strength of the current anti-mafia movement in Italy and a symbol of the country's ability to fight back against the powerful organized crime networks that have long had a tight grip on the country.

These two events are evidence of the increasing recognition and appreciation that the Italian public has for civil society groups for their efforts to curb organised crime, often in a hostile environment. A survey from 2023 found that most Italians believe that non-state actors play a crucial role in the fight against organised crime.

In Italy, civil society has focused on areas where the mafia has infiltrated local institutions, and some of these regions have seen tremendous changes over the last 30 years thanks to their efforts. Leading Italian associations such as Addiopizzo And Libera are internationally recognised examples that can be transferred to other contexts across Europe to fill the gaps left by state institutions, such as protecting victims of mafia crimes and their families, providing legal assistance during court proceedings, assisting individuals and companies affected by extortion and redistributing assets confiscated from the mafia. It is also thanks to their work that in regions such as Sicily and Calabria, tacit support for the mafia is no longer as strong as it once was – this may indicate that Italy has managed to overcome the country's 'mafia culture' and move towards an anti-mafia culture.

Lessons for Western Europe

Through the coordination efforts of institutions such as Europol and Eurojust, European law enforcement authorities have achieved a high level of CooperationHowever, while law enforcement agencies and the organised crime networks they target are highly integrated across borders, the same is not true of civil society.

In Western Europe, a more comprehensive approach is needed, particularly from an analytical perspective, to strengthen the role of civil society in the fight against organised crime. Despite the success of law enforcement efforts, investigations often lack the context-based sociological and anthropological understanding of organised crime that is crucial for formulating effective strategies at regional and international level.

Civil society research and analysis are central aspects of a comprehensive approach to combating cross-border organised crime. As Italian civil society enters its third decade of tireless work in this field, we can draw four particularly valuable lessons for the rest of Western Europe – and beyond.

First, the creation of broad-based movements that involve different parts of society can effectively combat criminal influence. The Italian emphasis on education and the promotion of a culture of legality, as pursued by the Trame festival since 2011, has been instrumental in changing public perceptions and changing previously deep-rooted attitudes towards the mafia. This has proven to be an important building block in the high level of resilience to organised crime that exists in Italy today.

Second, providing comprehensive support systems for victims, including legal, emotional and psychological help, and ensuring safe reporting mechanisms to build community trust. In countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden And Francewhere the number of victims of organised crime is increasing, the provision of such support is still largely neglected.

Third, Italian initiatives to use confiscated mafia assets for social purposes, such as through the creation of social enterprises and community centres, show how economic empowerment can reduce the attractiveness of organised crime. Advocacy for stronger anti-mafia laws and active participation in political dialogues have been crucial to the implementation of legal reforms and underline the importance of building legal expertise. Many countries in Western Europe still lack the tools in their national legal systems to prosecute ‘mafia-type’ criminal organisations.

Finally, in contexts where organized crime is still viewed as a foreign threat rather than a domestic problem, collaborations and networks can play an important role in creating alliances between research and advocacy, thereby raising awareness of local mafias. Italy's success in using media and digital platforms to raise awareness and mobilize support shows how effective the use of technology is in these efforts.

Taken together, these strategies have not only helped change public perceptions of organised crime, but they have also promoted integrity and the rule of law, creating a cultural shift that inspires greater resilience.

The Observatory on Organised Crime in Europe tries to explore and analyze the growing threat of transnational organised crime in Europe and its links to criminal markets and networks outside the continent. The focus is on identifying new trends, criminal actors and routes and nodes of illicit economies that Stability, The Rule of law, legal economy and public health in Europe. The observatory took part in a The Trame Festival in June, which addressed several challenges related to the research and investigation of organised crime.