This article examines kidnappings for ransom by the ’Ndrangheta in Italy from the more measured perspective that the passage of time allows. To investigate the importance and characteristics of this phenomenon, we analyse a new database compiled from various sources. We put forward an explanation of the way that the kidnapping era ended that derives both from statistical analysis of the 654 instances surveyed and from a case study (the abduction of Cesare Casella). Within this analysis, we award significant weight to the changing political context and to two particular factors: the crime's politicisation under new electoral pressure, and the behaviour of law enforcement agencies. The two factors often regarded as the principal explanations for the end of kidnapping, legislation on the freezing of assets and the appeal of the drugs trade, are treated here as simply aspects of the overall picture. The disappearance of this criminal practice seems to have followed a hiatus in relationships and a reciprocal show of strength. Although the repertoire of state threats, notably military action and prison sentences, was substantial, the political value of victims’ lives and the weakness of the government were powerful weapons for the final cohort of kidnappers.

中文翻译：

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光荣会绑架事件：特点、制度对策与转折点

本文从时间流逝所允许的更慎重的角度审视意大利光荣会绑架勒索赎金的事件。为了调查这种现象的重要性和特征，我们分析了一个从各种来源编译的新数据库。我们对绑架时代结束的方式提出了一种解释，该解释来自对所调查的 654 个实例的统计分析和一个案例研究（Cesare Casella 的绑架）。在此分析中，我们对不断变化的政治环境和两个特定因素给予了很大的重视：犯罪在新的选举压力下的政治化，以及执法机构的行为。这两个因素通常被认为是结束绑架的主要解释，冻结资产的立法和毒品交易的吸引力，在这里被视为整体画面的简单方面。这种犯罪行为的消失似乎伴随着人际关系的中断和力量的相互展示。尽管国家威胁的全部内容，尤其是军事行动和监禁判决，是大量的，但受害者生命的政治价值和政府的软弱是最后一批绑架者的有力武器。