Demystifying ‘Ndrangheta: Challenging the Organized Crime Phenomenon of Calabria

Vincent C. Figliomeni PhD

Description

This book is focused on demystifying ‘Ndrangheta, which includes unraveling ‘Ndrangheta’s behavioral elements that exploit criminal opportunities through conspiracy, collusion, and corruption, common among most mafia’-type groups, reinforced by ‘mafia-mystique’. The ‘Ndrangheta phenomenon has evolved over time by exploiting critical supporting elements of power present within the cultural, socio-economic, and political environments of Calabria, which in turn perpetuates, protects, and sustains 'Ndrangheta's presence and persistence. A comprehensive and practical anti-/ counter-‘Ndrangheta overarching campaign plan model is presented to assist policy makers, security practitioners, and criminologists in developing a method and a process for taking actions that neutralize essential elements of power and prestige that besides wealth, are primary objectives of ‘Ndrangheta.

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Philosophie politique
• Sociologie, société et politique
• Social Science
• Minority Studies

Informations

• Publié par: AuthorHouse UK
• Date de parution: 29 mars 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9798823081740
• Langue: English

Extrait

DEMYSTIFYING ‘NDRANGHETA: CHALLENGING THE ORGANIZED CRIME PHENOMENON OF CALABRIA
 
 
 
 
VINCENT C. FIGLIOMENI, PHD.

FRANCESCO FIGLIOMENI SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH CENTER, SIDERNO MARINA (RC) ITALY
 
 

 
 
AuthorHouse™ UK
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Bloomington, IN 47403 USA
www.authorhouse.co.uk
Phone: UK TFN: 0800 0148641 (Toll Free inside the UK)             UK Local: (02) 0369 56322 ([phone] from outside the UK)
 
 
 
 
 
© 2023 Vincent C. Figliomeni, PhD. All rights reserved.
 
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
 
Published by AuthorHouse 03/28/2023
 
ISBN: 979-8-8230-8172-6 (sc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-8173-3 (hc)
ISBN: 979-8-8230-8174-0 (e)
 
 
 
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
PREVIOUS PUBLICATIONS BY THE AUTHOR:
“THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF THE IMMIGRANT IN ITALY: An Inquiry into Public Opinion of Immigrant Involvement in Crime and Immigrant Policy Related Issues” Author-House, Bloomington, IN, USA 2016
“ASSESSMENT OF MARITIME PIRACY IN EAST AFRICA: Application of Rational Choice - Routine Activities Theory and Dynamic Operational Design Planning and Assessment Approach” Author-House, Bloomington, IN, USA 2017
“‘NDRANGHETA OF CALABRIA: Exploring a Pragmatic Approach to Confronting Organized Crime” Author-House, Bloomington, IN, USA 2019
This book is dedicated to the memory of my dear brother
Rocco F. Figliomeni
(1952-1993)
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AUTHOR’S NOTE
PREFACE
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
PART I BASIC DESCRIPTION OF ‘NDRANGHETA
Chapter 1 WHAT IS MAFIA-TYPE ORGANIZED CRIME?
Chapter 2 WHEN DID THEY (‘NDRANGHETA) ORIGINATE?
Chapter 3 WHY CALABRIA?
Chapter 4 MERTON’S STRAIN THEORY (ANOMIE) AND ‘NDRANGHETA
Chapter 5 WHERE DO THEY OPERATE?
Chapter 6 HOW DO THEY OPERATE?
Chapter 7 WHO ARE AMONG THEM TODAY?
PART II DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE CHALLENGE TO ‘NDRANGHETA
Chapter 8 CRIMINAL JUSTICE OVERVIEW ON ‘NDRANGHETA
Chapter 9 DEVELOPING PRACTICAL ANTI-/COUNTER -‘NDRANGHETA STRATEGIES
Chapter 10 SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER ACTIONS
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX B
APPENDIX C
APPENDIX D
APPENDIX E
APPENDIX F
APPENDIX G
APPENDIX H
ENDNOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First, and foremost, this book could not have been completed without the continuous encouragement received from my family. I am eternally grateful to my wife Rosanna, daughter Elita, and son Vincenzo, for their support. I appreciate the patience and understanding they have always had regarding my dedication in pursuit of meaningful and relevant studies to be conducted at Francesco Figliomeni Social Science Research Center (FFSSRC), (Centro Studi di Ricerca di Scienze Sociali). The Center was founded and named in honor of my eldest son, Francesco, taken from us in an auto accident in Italy 15 years ago. That was a life-changing event for the whole family leading us to stay all year round in our summer home in Calabria. I had frequent visits to Calabria over the past 40 years and learned much about its cultural, socio-economic and political environments. However, while living here in Calabria over the past several years, I have conducted research and published my work under the banner of the FFSSRC in Siderno Marina, Reggio Calabria. This also happens to be the epicenter of ‘Ndrangheta country. I am within an area dominated by some of the most notable ‘Ndrangheta clans, as well as among Calabria’s population of mostly honest hard working citizens. It has been an eye opening experience indeed and this latest book contains some reflections of that experience.
I would also like to thank formally, a few among my academic profession who helped me with encouragement in the development of this book’s approach. While I was working on the book, I reached out to my European Society of Criminology colleague and expert on ‘Ndrangheta, Professor Anna Sergi, from the University of Essex, UK. I sent her a brief overview of what I was attempting to achieve in this book, and she advised me to use my direct experience and knowledge on ‘Ndrangheta as an Italian-American in Calabria in order to offer an ethnographic-like perspective. Reaching out once again, I sought the advice of Professor Charlie Barnao, Department of Sociology, University of Catanzaro, Italy regarding the art and science of ethnography. He provided the advice and encouragement that was needed for me to adopt an auto-ethnographic-like approach to capture my unique Italian-American perspectives as well as encouraged me to integrate more of my security background and experience into the text. I subsequently integrated the advice of both into the book. Quite frankly, I do not think that I would have been able to finish this book without their help. Of course, any misinterpretations of content, awkwardness of style, and or editing shortfalls are all mine.
Additionally, I would also like to thank my colleague U.S. Army LTC (retired) Robert K. Ross for his comments on an earlier version of the book manuscript and Professor Charlie Barnao for writing the ‘Forward’ of this book.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
The primary focus of this book is on ‘Ndrangheta members, associates, and affiliates of clans representing less than 1% of the population of Calabria who are directly involved in organized crime. However, this book seeks to illuminate the difficult plight for over 99% of honest hard working residents of Calabria who are not a part of ‘Ndrangheta, but are captivated at various levels of influence by the ‘Ndrangheta phenomenon, and/or at a minimum, must endure the consequences of its presence. Starting with all of the information from secondary sources I had accumulated over the years, and the life experiences gained from my various associations with Calabrians and Calabria, I developed the strategy of integrating knowledge from my Italian-American background into an analysis of ‘Ndrangheta’s presence and persistence taking into account historical, cultural, social, economic and political aspects of ‘Ndrangheta’s evolution. These aspects are incorporated into a framework of crime prevention approaches and security strategies drawn from my formal education in the social sciences, primarily criminology, as well as military security background, training, and real-world experiences.
I have applied a military intelligence approach to challenging and combating ‘Ndrangheta because in my view, Calabria has been subjected to a siege of criminality since its official adoption to the Italian State over a century and a half ago. Those primarily responsible for occasional acts of violence, continuous corruption, systematic exploitation and domination of Calabrian society, are ‘Ndrangheta clan members, associates, affiliates, supporters, sympathizers and those who acquiesce to them. I consider the Calabrian landscape an evolving contested territory between ‘Ndrangheta and the forces of law and order, the underworld and upper world, and illegitimate and legitimate authority. This contest is evident as ‘Ndrangheta occasionally exhibits a violent public display of its supremacy, but most often its actions are obscure, as it silently exerts influence to maintain power in its environment.
To use a military analogy, as with any adversary on the battlefield, it is necessary to understand strengths and weaknesses, tactics, techniques and procedures as well as modus operandi, and likely future activities in order to successfully combat them. A method of analysis used for determining an adversary’s current and most likely future actions is the Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment (IPOE), which places emphasis on all domains in the battle space that are ground, air, maritime, space, and cyber. This analysis includes political, military, economic, social, information and infrastructure (PMESII) aspects within that environment. The dominance of ‘Ndrangheta and its ability to create optimal conditions for organized crime-conducive environments require analysis of all of these aspects as well. I have applied a similarly oriented model used in the business world that examines the political, economic, social, technology, legal, and environment (PESTLE) aspects for developing an analysis of the desired activity in question. Here, these critical aspects and elements therein are taken into account for achieving a clear understanding of ‘Ndrangheta’s strengths and weaknesses, modus operandi, current and likely future activities of organized crime including those behaviors and actions that perpetuate their presence and persistence. I have also adopted Dynamic Operational Design Planning and Assessments Approach (DODPAA), an operational planning method and framework used by some military planners. This was developed from Effects Based Operations (EBO). I use it here in order to plan a long-term strategy for taking actions and conducting assessments regarding the suitability and effectiveness of those actions and counteractions directed against ‘Ndrangheta. In short, this book represents my unique version of how to more thoroughly challenge ‘Ndrangheta in orde