A locale, translated as "local" or "place", is the main local organizational unit of the

'Ndrangheta The 'Ndrangheta (, , ) is a mafia-type organized crime, criminal syndicate originating from the Calabria region of Italy. Gratteri & Nicaso, ''Fratelli di Sangue'', pp. 65–68 This body, also referred to as the Commission in reference to the ...

with

jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' and 'speech' or 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United States, the concept of jurisdiction applies at multiple level ...

over criminal activities in an entire town or an area in a large urban center.Paoli, ''Mafia Brotherhoods''
pp. 29-30
/ref>Nicaso & Danesi, ''Made Men''
p. 23
/ref> A ''locale'' is usually made up by one '' 'ndrina'', in the case of a small town, or several '' 'ndrine'', if more than one '' 'ndrina'' operates in the same town. In the case of larger cities a local may rule over a certain area or neighbourhood of the city. In some contexts a '' 'ndrina'' is more powerful than the ''locale'' on which they formally depend. Each ''locale'' has a boss with authority over members' life and death, a ''capo locale'', usually the capobastone of a 'ndrina. It has at least 49 members. Besides the ''capo locale'', there is the ''contabile '' (accountant) who handles the finances - commonly called ''la bacinella'' or ''la valigetta'' (briefcase). A ''crimine'' oversees the illegal activity. All three form a

triumvirate A triumvirate () or a triarchy is a political institution ruled or dominated by three individuals, known as triumvirs (). The arrangement can be formal or informal. Though the three leaders in a triumvirate are notionally equal, the actual distr ...

called the ''Copiata''.Il Crimine, i mastri, le 'ndrine; ecco la Cupola modello Cosa nostra
La Repubblica, July 14, 2010 A ''locale'' is often subdivided into two divisions: the ''società minore'' (the "minor" or lower society) and the ''società maggiore'' ("major" or higher society). The minor is submissive to the major.Paoli, ''Mafia Brotherhoods''
pp. 47-48
/ref> The ''locale'' of San Luca has a historical preeminence. Every new group or ''locale'' must obtain its authorization to operate. Every group belonging to the 'Ndrangheta "still has to deposit a small percentage of illicit proceeds to the ''principale'' of San Luca in recognition of the latter's primordial supremacy."

References

* Gratteri, Nicola & Antonio Nicaso (2006).
Fratelli di sangue
', Cosenza: Pellegrini Editore, * Nicaso, Antonio & Marcel Danesi (2013).
Made Men: Mafia Culture and the Power of Symbols, Rituals, and Myth
', Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, * Paoli, Letizia (2003).
Mafia Brotherhoods: Organized Crime, Italian Style
', New York: Oxford University Press

by Klaus Von Lampe)

by Alexandra V. Orlova) * Varese, Federico.
How Mafias Migrate: The Case of the 'Ndrangheta in Northern Italy
', Discussion Papers in Economic and Social History, Number 59, University of Oxford, July 2005 {{DEFAULTSORT:Locale ('Ndrangheta) History of the 'Ndrangheta Organized crime terminology Italian words and phrases