New Law Gives Children in Mafia Families a Way Out

Italy is giving people born into mafia families something they've rarely had before: a state-backed way out. A new "free to choose" law will let children and close relatives of mafia bosses under 25 relocate to another part of the country, switch schools, and, if needed, take on new identities to escape criminal clans. Roughly 400 youths a year are expected to enter the program, which formalizes a pilot effort launched in 2011 by Reggio Calabria youth court President Roberto Di Bella, the Guardian reports.

The law emphasizes keeping mothers and children together—but only if the mother agrees to sever ties with the mafia; otherwise, children can be placed with vetted foster families or in protected homes with educational and psychological support. Backers, including anti-mafia priest Luigi Ciotti, hail it as a cultural tool against groups like the 'Ndrangheta, where leadership often passes from father to son. But some prosecutors warn the plan could falter without more funding and staff, leaving a landmark law strong in principle but weak in practice. President Giorgia Meloni said in a statement that the law honors "those who have sacrificed everything to free Italy from the mafia 'cancer.'"