Abstract

The importance of the seizure and subsequent confiscation of mafia assets in the action to combat all forms of organized crime is now unanimously recognized. The same cannot be said for their reuse. On the other hand, this is a very topical issue and economically and socially of paramount importance if we consider that to date in Italy about 35.000 real estate and over 4.000 businesses have been confiscated, with actual use percentages of real estate of about 30% and insignificant percentages for businesses. It is an impressive public property from an economic point of view and not measurable from the point of view of its symbolic value. The case of the public company Agrorinasce – Agency for innovation, development and security of the territory – founded in 1998 on the initiative of the Ministry of the Interior from 6 Municipalities of the Province of Caserta was the first public entity that specifically dealt with the recovery and the enhancement of assets confiscated from the mafia. This article briefly describes the history, the models for the enhancement of confiscated assets adopted by Agrorinasce over a period of 22 years, the public and private funds used and an initial analysis of the social impact and employment in the area where it operates. Such story can be useful for the start of other similar practices and the development of active national policies for the enhancement of public assets to the mafias. It shows the work of recovery and enhancement of 160 real estate confiscated from the Camorra and the work of public institutions, not-for-profit subjects as well as businesses and many citizens, triggering a significant social and economic impact and a process of culture change that has certainly slowed the regenerative force of a highly dangerous clan.