The Addio Pizzo movement: exploring social change using agent-based modelling

Authored by Corinna Elsenbroich

Date Published: 2017

DOI: 10.1007/s12117-016-9288-x

Sponsors: Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK

Platforms: NetLogo

Model Documentation: Other Narrative

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

Extortion racketeering is a crime that blights the lives of everyone in societies where it takes hold. Whilst most European countries have some form of extortion racketeering, in most countries it is isolated to some ethnic communities. In Southern Italy and Sicily, extortion racketeering is still a feature of overall society. This paper attempts to look at the phenomenon from the angle of collectives, of resistance building through civic organisations such as Addiopizzo. For this investigation a computational model is presented to analyse the effect of team-reasoning on levels of resistance in systemic extortion rackets. An agent-based model is presented that implements the interaction of different kinds of decision-making of extortion victims with law enforcement deterrence. The results show that established extortion rackets are hard to undermine unless bottom-up civic engagement and law enforcement go hand in hand.

Tags

Agent-based modelling Simulation Crime protection social change Prisoners-dilemma Extortion rackets Extortion Mafia