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SOCIAL SCIENCES

Social sciences examine human behavior, social structures, and interactions in various settings. Fields such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, and economics study social relationships, cultural norms, and institutions. By using different research methods, social scientists seek to understand community dynamics, the effects of policies, and factors driving social change. This field is important for tackling current issues, guiding public discussions, and developing strategies for social progress and innovation.

Measuring the Scope and Scale of Mafia-Style Crimes

By Anna Sergi

  Despite the challenges in defining mafia-style crime (MSC) as a standalone concept and differentiating such crimes from the acts perpetrated by mafia-style groups, its definition can be confined to private protection and systemic extortion linked to the ability of a group to exert control over a given territory or market. Notwithstanding, further challenges arise in trying to assess this criminal market. For example, creating a global assessment of the MSC market can be adversely impacted by: differing understandings of the ‘mafia’ concept in various jurisdictions; the lack of understanding of situational intimidation, which could lead to silent extortion; and overlapping criminal fields, such as forms of extortion perpetrated by non-organized criminal groups or abuse of power by public officials. Such limitations and inconsistencies should be considered during the assessment of MSCs, both globally and at a country level. Furthermore, the use of cyberspace in MSCs should also be monitored in order to achieve a more comprehensive assessment of future trends in the criminal market.  

Geneva, SWIT: The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, 2023. 22p.

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