ABSTRACT
This chapter explores interconnected theories that explain why organized crime develops in some areas rather than others, and discuss how criminal organizations can expand and migrate to new areas. Investigations of why criminal organizations arise are crucial for our understanding of how they shape our societies. Several scholars have tried to overcome inconsistencies in the economic and sociological explanations by adopting a more integrated institutional approach that shows how the rise of organized crime is significantly shaped by institutional incentives and disincentives. The numerous negative consequences that organized criminal violence may have on both economy and society make the understanding of why and when criminals turn to the use of violence of primary importance for all the actors aimed at fighting criminal organizations. The release of accurate administrative data will allow for a systematic adoption of evaluations to understand those policies that are more likely to counter organized crime in specific contexts.
