Uprooting the Mafia: Italy Expands a Controversial Approach to Combat Organized Crime

In 2012, Italy's Ministry of Justice, namely the Department of Juvenile and Community Justice, launched the Free To Choose program in Calabria. The project sought to remove children from their mafia families and place them in foster care programs, to break the cycle of criminal behavior between generations. Once authorities can prove to a court that the child is in danger due to their circumstances, they can forcefully remove the child from their parents' custody and place them in foster care.

EuropeBy Luke GialanellaMay 11, 2024Italy, mafia, Naples, Sicilian mafia, foster care, organized crime