Since their appearance in the middle of the 19th century, Italian organised crime and criminal organisations have infiltrated the social and economic life of many regions in Southern Italy, the most notorious of which being the Sicilian Mafia, which would later expand into some foreign countries including the United States.
Sejak kehadiran mereka pada pertengahan abad ke-19, kejahatan terorganisasi di Italia, dan organisasi kriminal telah menyusupi kehidupan sosial, dan ekonomi di banyak wilayah di Italia Selatan, yang paling parah adalah Mafia Sisilia, yang kemudian meluas ke beberapa negara lain, termasuk Amerika Serikat.