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Law Enforcement, Social Control and Organized Crime: Evidence from Local Government Dismissals in Italy

Author

Listed:
  • Federico Cingano

    (Bank of Italy, Structural Economic Analysis Directorate)

  • Marco Tonello

    (Bank of Italy, Economic Research Unit, Firenze Branch & CRILDA-Università Cattolica di Milano)

Abstract

Local governments suspected of Mafia infiltration can be dismissed in Italy through an administrative act not increasing formal deterrence but potentially signaling improved law enforcement among local communities. This paper finds that dismissals are associated to a persistent fall of petty crimes (e.g. thefts) but have little consequences on offenses more closely related to the activity of organized crime, as homicide, extortion, drug-trafficking or usury. Petty crimes are estimated to fall by around 10%, on average, a result that seems driven by the perception of enhanced deterrence (through media pressure, the signaling role of the policy, and other forms of social control) rather than induced by organized crime itself.

Suggested Citation

  • Federico Cingano & Marco Tonello, 2020. "Law Enforcement, Social Control and Organized Crime: Evidence from Local Government Dismissals in Italy," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 6(2), pages 221-254, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:italej:v:6:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s40797-020-00124-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s40797-020-00124-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Laura Baraldi & Erasmo Pagani & Marco Stimolo, 2023. "Neutralizing the Tentacles of Organized Crime. Assessment of the Impact of an Anti-Crime Measure on Mafia Violence in Italy," Working Papers 2023.10, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    2. Anna Laura Baraldi & Erasmo Pagani & Marco Stimolo, 2022. "Neutralizing the Tentacles of Organized Crime. Assessment of an Anti-Crime Measure in Fighting Mafia Violence," Working Papers 2022.18, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    3. Baraldi, Anna Laura & Papagni, Erasmo & Stimolo, Marco, 2024. "Neutralizing the tentacles of organized crime. Assessment of the impact of an anti-crime measure on mafia violence in Italy," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 223(C), pages 57-85.
    4. Paolo Buonanno & Irene Ferrari & Alessandro Saia, 2023. "ALL IS NOT LOST: Organized Crime and Social Capital Formation," Working Papers 2023: 16, Department of Economics, University of Venice "Ca' Foscari", revised 2024.
    5. Deiana, Claudio & Geraci, Andrea, 2021. "Are wind turbines a mafia windfall? The unintended consequences of green incentives," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    6. Paolo Pinotti, 0. "The Credibility Revolution in the Empirical Analysis of Crime," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 0, pages 1-14.
    7. Pinotti, Paolo, 2020. "The credibility revolution in the empirical analysis of crime," CEPR Discussion Papers 14850, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    8. Cavalieri, Marina & Finocchiaro Castro, Massimo & Guccio, Calogero, 2023. "Organised crime and educational outcomes in Southern Italy: An empirical investigation," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    9. Paolo Pinotti, 2020. "The Credibility Revolution in the Empirical Analysis of Crime," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 6(2), pages 207-220, July.
    10. Baraldi, Anna Laura & Papagni, Erasmo & Stimolo, Marco, 2022. "Neutralizing the Tentacles of Organized Crime. Assessment of an Anti-Crime Measure in Fighting Mafia Violence," FEEM Working Papers 322775, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    11. Anna Laura Baraldi & Giovanni Immordino & Erasmo Papagni & Marco Stimolo, 2023. "An Unintended Consequence of Gender Balance Laws: Mafia Fuels Political Violence," CSEF Working Papers 693, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Crime; Law enforcement; Organized crime; Social control;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K14 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Criminal Law
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption

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