Every year, on March 21, the first day of spring, Italy commemorates the National Day of Remembrance and Commitment in memory of the victims of mafias.
The idea for this day originated in the mid-1990s, when, during the first anniversary of the Capaci massacre, the mother of Antonino Montinaro, head of Giovanni Falcone’s escort, shared her grief over the fact that her son’s name had not been mentioned with Don Luigi Ciotti. Thanks to the priest’s commitment, the Day began to be commemorated and was later formally established by Law no. 20 of March 8, 2017, which officially recognized a civil commitment that was already deeply rooted in society. Now in its 31st anniversary, the initiative embodies and renews the desire to transform pain into a collective act of honor that restores the identities denied by mafia violence. This mission is also reflected in the chosen date of the celebration, symbolizing the rebirth of truth and social justice, as well as the renewal of a path of hope.
On this occasion, it is essential to highlight the role of the Italian legal system in combating mafia-related phenomena and safeguarding legality. A key turning point was the introduction of Article 416-bis of the Italian Penal Code through Law 646/1982, also known as the Rognoni-La Torre Law. This law formally defined the crime of mafia-type association as a distinct offense, differentiating it from ordinary criminal associations. The provision was introduced through an ordinary legislative process aimed at addressing a legal gap in the fight against organized crime, which until then had not been adequately regulated.
The law identifies the typical features of the mafia method: intimidation, subjugation, and omertà (code of silence). Intimidation stems from the coercive power of the criminal organization, expressed through explicit and/or implicit threats capable of generating a widespread climate of fear. This leads to the subjugation of victims, who are forced to submit to the power of the mafia, relinquishing their economic and personal freedom. Even more profound is the concept of omertà, one of the most powerful tools of the mafia: it is not merely silence, but a broader social condition of non-cooperation with institutions. Omertà arises from fear of retaliation as well as from distrust in the State, making it difficult for crimes and their perpetrators to emerge.
Within the Italian legal system, the anti-mafia judiciary plays a central role. In particular, the District Anti-Mafia Directorates (DDA), established within the public prosecutors’ offices of district capitals, carry out specialized functions in coordinating investigations into organized crime offenses. At the national level, the National Anti-Mafia and Counter-Terrorism Directorate (DNA) operates to coordinate among various prosecutors’ offices, ensuring effective investigative action across the country. Investigative efforts are also based on advanced and incisive tools, such as wiretapping, financial investigations, preventive measures, and cooperating witnesses (so-called “pentiti”), who help not only to prosecute individual crimes but also to dismantle the entire structure of mafia organizations