Corruption is a social and economic phenomenon that negatively impacts the development of any country.
In Italy, a recent survey by the National Institute of Statistics (Istat) reveals worrying data on the prevalence and acceptance of corruption among Italian families in the period 2022–2023.
Prevalence of corruption in Italian families
According to research, 5,4% of Italian families directly faced an episode of corruption. This data reflects a slight improvement compared to the previous survey, where 13,1% of people knew someone who had experienced corruption, reducing to 8,3% in the current survey.
However, an alarming fact is the acceptance of corruption when it comes to securing a job for a child.
Sectors most affected by corruption
Istat research highlights the public sectors most vulnerable to corruption. The justice sector leads, with 4,8% of families reporting bribery requests involving judges, prosecutors and other professionals.
Specifically, 2,9% of families faced corruption in administrative procedures and 1,8% in civil proceedings.
Other Critical Sectors
- Social benefits: 2,7% of families reported asking for bribes to obtain social housing or disability pensions.
- Public services: 2% of families experienced corruption in services such as motorization, city halls and revenue agencies.
- Health: 1,3% of families reported asking for bribes to receive preferential medical treatment.
- Education and work: Sectors with a lower incidence, but still significant, with 0,7% and 0,8%, respectively.
Frequency of corruption episodes
For the majority of families (59%), the corruption episode occurred only once. However, 20,3% reported two occurrences and 8,6% experienced three or more episodes. In the education and labor sector, a higher frequency of bribe requests was observed.
Tolerance to corruption
One of the most worrying revelations of the research is the tolerance of corruption. Around 21,1% of Italians consider it acceptable to pay to secure a job for a child, while only 4,5% tolerate vote buying.
Geographic distribution of corruption
The incidence of bribery requests varies by region:
- Central Italy: 6,8% of families reported episodes of corruption.
- Islands: Lower incidence with 3,6%.
- Lazio: The most affected region, with 10,4% of families involved.
- Basilicata, Campania and Emilia Romagna: Between 6,6% and 7,1%.
Differences between urban and peripheral areas
Families in metropolitan centers are more likely to face corruption (8,3%) compared to those living in outskirts (7,2%).
Em small towns and centers with more than 50 thousand inhabitants, the rates are lower.
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