Why Don't They Kill Anymore? Organization, Violence and Changes in Italian Mafias

Why Don't They Kill Anymore? Organization, Violence and Changes in Italian Mafias

Italian mafias—Cosa Nostra, Camorra, and ‘Ndrangheta—are long-lived, resilient organizations that have evolved to adapt to environmental changes. They have different organizational models. While Cosa Nostra (in the past) and ‘Ndrangheta are characterized by a unitary, vertical structure and higher-level coordination bodies, Camorra has a plurality of organizational models; the majority of clans maintain a structure that is fluid, polycentric, and conflictual. In general, mafias with a vertical organizational order have greater control over conflict, and greater capacity to resist state power. In recent years there have been significant changes in the use of violence by the three Italian mafias. They greatly reduced killing each other, except in a few cases, and above all they have stopped committing high profile murders (judges, politicians, journalists, ecc.). Why? The talk will try to answer this question. 

Maurizio Catino, Professor of Sociology…