Italy’s anti-Mafia legislation allows confiscated Mafia properties to be converted into educational, cultural, and welfare facilities where local NGOs offer various social activities specifically targeting the youth and other vulnerable groups. This study provides the first causal evidence on how exposure to these repurposed spaces affects students’ dropout rates by changing their attitudes toward educational and criminal pathways. Using school-level geo-referenced data from 2015 to 2022 and exploiting the staggered timing of property repurpose, I investigate changes in local dropout rates and students’ aspirations. Results find a significant reduction in dropout rates of approximately 36% for students living near repurposed properties. Students are less likely to expect to find occupation through Mafia or political connections, and place greater value on education and formal application processes. Students also report greater confidence in State capacity, with reduced distrust in local police and politicians. Sentiment analysis of students’ definitions of the Mafia corroborates these results, with the strongest effects among students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The effects are not explained by gentrification, additional educational support, or civic engagement levels.
Presented by:
Victoria Biagi (ISER, University of Essex)
Date & time:
November 4, 2026 12:30 pm - November 4, 2026 1:30 pm
Venue:
SSRC416 (2N2.4.16)
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