Overview
Crime and Safety
The province of Palermo ranks 77 out of 106 for safety according to our data, with a safety score of 4.There were a total of 3784.565 official reports of crime per 100,000 inhabitants in the province in 2023.
This is in line with the average number of reported crimes per 100,000 inhabitants across all Italian provinces.
This suggests that the crime rate in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
Thefts and Robberies
In the province of Palermo, there were 24.1 instances of thefts with dexterity (thefts committed with special skill, superior to that normally used by the common thief), 18.069 instances of snatch thefts (thefts committed by someone who takes possession of another's movable property by snatching it from the person's hand or body), 447.227 car thefts, and 108.247 home burglaries per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.Below is an overview of how these types of theft compare with the average across all Italian provinces:
Thefts with dexterity are in line with the average. This suggests that the rate of thefts with dexterity in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
Snatch thefts are in line with the average. This suggests that the rate of snatch thefts in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
Car thefts are in line with the average. This suggests that the rate of car thefts in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
Home burglaries are in line with the average. This suggests that the rate of home burglaries in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
Violent Crimes
In the province of Palermo, there were 12.16 instances of violent crimes (homicides and sexual assaults) per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.This is in line with the average number of violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants across all Italian provinces.
This suggests that the violent crime rate in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
Organized Crime & Drug-related Crimes
In the province of Palermo, there were 22.898 instances of extortions, 3.497 instances of money laundering, and 45.464 drug-related crimes (such as dealing, production, etc.) per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.Extortions are in line with the average for provinces in Italy.
This suggests that the rate of extortions in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
Money laundering instances are in line with the national average.
This suggests that the rate of money laundering in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
Drug-related crimes are in line with the average amongst Italian provinces.
This suggests that the rate of drug-related crimes in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
Mafia Activity
Palermo, the capital of Sicily, has long been considered the birthplace and stronghold of the Sicilian Mafia, also known as the Cosa Nostra.The city has a deep-rooted history of mafia influence, dating back to the mid-19th century when private armies, or 'mafie', were hired by absentee landlords to protect their estates from bandits.
Over time, these 'mafie' evolved into a powerful criminal organization that expanded its activities beyond just providing protection, engaging in extortion, arbitration of disputes, and the oversight of illegal agreements and transactions.
By the 20th century, the Mafia had become entrenched in Palermo's political, economic, and social fabric, wielding significant influence and control.
The Mafia's presence in Palermo has been marked by periods of both suppression and resurgence.
In the 1920s, Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini's appointed prefect, Cesare Mori, launched a crackdown that temporarily disrupted the Mafia's operations.
However, the organization regained strength after the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943, when many imprisoned mafiosi were released and reinstated in positions of power.
The 1980s and 1990s were particularly turbulent years for Palermo, as the Mafia's influence and criminal activities escalated, leading to an increase in violence and high-profile assassinations targeting anti-Mafia figures, such as the 1992 killings of judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino.
Despite ongoing efforts by law enforcement and the Italian government to combat the Mafia's grip on Palermo, the city remains a stronghold of organized crime, with the Cosa Nostra continuing to exert its power and control over various aspects of life in the Sicilian capital.
Accidents
In the province of Palermo, there were 10.9 instances of fatal and permanent disability accidents per 10,000 employees, and 1.914 road accident deaths per 10,000 residents in 2023.Workplace accidents are in line with the national average average.
This suggests that the rate of workplace accidents in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
Road accident deaths are in line with the national average.
This suggests that the rate of road accident deaths in Palermo is typical for Italian provinces.
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