Sicilian Organized Crime

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the Sicilian mafia, describing it as the product of centuries old Sicilian organized crime that fosters enmeshed economic, political, and institutional relationships that are hidden and protected from legal interception. In particular, the paper explores the origins of the Sicilian mafia including their political manipulations and criminal activities. In addition, a review of struggles the mafia has faced, and in most cases overcome, is provided as well as an assessment of their role today in Sicilian society.

From the Paper:

"Prior to the 1700s, the Sicilian aristocracy lived on large country estates. The 1700s witnessed a gradual migration of the wealthy to the developing economic centers of Palermo, Catania, and Messina. Needing managers to oversee the country estates, the aristocrats hired watchmen, or gabelloti. The year 1812 was marked by the abrogation of feudalism and the development of new property rights. This led to massive growth of landowners and gabelloti systematically became barons over the grand country estates and were instantly wealthy, and powerful (Bandiera, 2003). The gabelloti soon confronted other land barons and demanded protection money from them to ensure their properties were also secure and safe from criminal attacks. Within a short period, the Sicilian countryside was characterized by widespread labor abuses and the evolution of the Mafiosi bosses who took over mass property management (Schneider, 2008)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Balsamo, A. (2006). Organized crime today: The evolution of the Sicilian mafia. Journal of Money Laundering Control, 9(4), 373-375.
• Bandiera, O. (2003). Land reform, the market for protection, and the origins of the Sicilian Mafia: Theory and evidence. Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, 19(1), 218-226.
• Dinmore, G. (2008). Calabria's mob rises as Sicilian mafia falls. London Financial Times, February 21, 2008, p.3.
• Nicaso, A., & Lamothe, L. (1995). Italian organized crime groups. The Global Mafia, The World Order of Organized Crime, ISBN 0-7715-7311-1.
• Shapiro, S. P. (1994). Criminology, deviance, and law - The Sicilian Mafia: The business of private protection by Diego Gambetta. Contemporary Sociology, 23(5), p.709.

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