Taking care of everyone’s business: Interpreting Sicilian Mafia embedment through spatial network analysis
Abstract
Mafia-type organisations often have a strong geographical and cultural entrenchment in the territory they belong. However, their analysis as a spatially networked social structure is still missing. A combined socio-spatial network analysis is presented here, through the demise of a large police operation called Operazione Perseo in 2008. This approach is developed in two ways. At first, a visual representation of the social network of this large group of mafiosi embedded in a geographical space is presented. Three main salient territorial features of the network are thus highlighted. A high density of links in some neighbourhoods, as well as connections across different Mandamenti, the territorial units where Mafia families operate, and the correlation of links and socio-economic determinants, like the unemployment rates. Secondly, a spatial econometric analysis of centrality measures of the group is suggested here. Findings show a positive spatial correlation in the Eigenvalue centrality scores.
Keywords
Cosa Nostra, organised crime, Sicilian Mafia, social networks, Spatial network analysis, spatial regressions
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
2022
Publication Title
Global Crime
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
School
School of Science / ECU Security Research Institute
RAS ID
52742
Copyright
subscription content
Comments
Battisti, M., Lavezzi, A. M., & Musotto, R. (2022). Taking care of everyone’s business: interpreting Sicilian Mafia embedment through spatial network analysis. Global Crime, 23(2), 171-192.
https://doi.org/10.1080/17440572.2022.2073440