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Hosting to skim: organized crime and the reception of asylum seekers in Italy

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  • Luca, Davide
  • Proietti, Paola

Abstract

The paper investigates the link between organized crime and Italy’s publicly funded asylum seekers’ reception facilities. We gather detailed municipal-level data on the location of mafia activities and Protection System for Asylum Seekers and Refugees (SPRAR)-type reception centres, and provide evidence of how the local presence of mafia increases the likelihood of hosting reception facilities. Statistical evidence and in-depth expert interviews suggest that organized crime correlates with less transparent tendering procedures in the set-up of such centres, while hosting activities increase after local governments are infiltrated by mafias. Overall, results underscore the importance of measures aimed at contrasting organized crime, especially at times of ‘crises’ when public policy is subject to ‘states of exception’.

Suggested Citation

  • Luca, Davide & Proietti, Paola, 2022. "Hosting to skim: organized crime and the reception of asylum seekers in Italy," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115174, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
  • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:115174
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/115174/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    asylum seekers; mafia infiltration; organized crime; public procurement; reception centres;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • H57 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Procurement
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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