Crime in Italy
Statistics
The most common crime in Italy was theft, which explains the fall in crime during Covid-19.
Organised crime
Organised crime in Italy is a serious problem, especially in southern regions, like Sicilia, Calabria, etc. In 1991 the number of mafia-related homicides was 718 which decreased over time to only 28 in 2019. In the past were involved in drug trafficking, smuggling and bribing high level politicians. Nowadays crime organisations are present, but they don’t work as clearly as in the past-they mostly commit cybercrimes instead of real-world felonies.
Ecomafia
The term “ecomafia” is used to describe all activities of criminal organisations which cause damage to the enviorment. In Italy enviromental crimes are one of the fastest growing types of crime. In 2012 almost 30% of waste disposal in Italy was done illegally. Common activities of the ecomafia are illegal trafficking and disposal of waste, but also trafficking of exotic animals and stolen art.
Pickpocketing
One of the most common crimes in Italy is pickpocketing. It is a big problem in Italy, especially in tourist attractions, which are often very crowded. According to Quotezone’s European Pickpocket Index, Italy has the highest pickpocketing index in Europe. Pickpocketers are most common in cities like Rome, Venice, Naples and Florence. They can be also found on train stations, but mostly on ones located outside of urban areas.
