This book presents primary research conducted in Italy, USA, Australia and the UK on countering strategies and institutional perceptions of Italian mafias and local organized crime groups. Through interviews and interpretation of original documents, this study firstly demonstrates the interaction between institutional understanding of the criminal threats and historical events that have shaped these perceptions. Secondly, it combines analysis of policies and criminal law provisions to identify how policing models which combat mafia and organised crime activities are organized and constructed in each country within a comparative perspective.
After presenting the similarities between the four differing policing models, Sergi pushes the comparison further by identifying both conceptual and procedural convergences and divergences across both the four models and within international frameworks. By looking at topics as varied as mafia mobility, money laundering,drug networks and gang violence, this book ultimately seeks to reconsider the conceptualizations of both mafia and organized crime from a socio-behavioural and cultural perspective.

Examines policing models for countering mafia and organised criminal activity Assesses the benefits and problems with approaches in the UK, US, Australia and Italy Compares the efficacy of these countries' laws and institutions which tackle local organised crime

Autorentext
Anna Sergi holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Essex, UK, an LL.M. in Criminal Law, Criminal Justice and Criminology from King's College, London, UK, and a Specialist Law Degree from the University of Bologna, Italy. She is now a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Essex.

Inhalt
Chapter 1. Mafia and Organised Crime: the Spectrum and the Models.- Chapter 2. Case Study 1 - Italy & the Structure Model.- Chapter 3. Case Study 2 - United States of America & the Enterprise Model.- Chapter 4. Case Study 3 - Australia & the Visibility Model.- Chapter 5. Case Study 4 - United Kingdom & the Activity Model.- Chapter 6. Convergences and Divergences across the Four Models.- Chapter 7. National Models and International Frameworks.- Conclusion. A Socio-Behavioural Approach in Policing the Mafia-Organised Crime Spectrum.