Omertà

Omertà is a Southern Italian code of silence and code of honor and conduct that places importance on silence in the face of questioning by authorities or outsiders; non-cooperation with authorities, the government, or outsiders, especially during criminal investigations; and willfully ignoring and generally avoiding interference with the illegal activities of others (i.e., not contacting law enforcement or the authorities when one is aware of, witness to, or even the victim of certain crimes).

It originated and remains common in Southern Italy, where banditry or brigandage and Mafia-type criminal organizations (like the Camorra, Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta, Sacra Corona Unita and Società foggiana) have long been strong. Similar codes are also deeply rooted in other areas of the Mediterranean, including Malta, Crete in Greece, and Corsica, all of which share a common or similar historical culture with southern Italy.

Ostracism, shunning, intimidation, societal pressure or peer pressure, and strong cultural norms are often used to reinforce omertà and encourage silence and non-cooperation with authorities; however, violence and retaliation against informers or those who break the code of omertà are also common in criminal circles, in which informers or traitors to the code of omertà are often described in English by terms such as 'rats' or 'snitches' and in Italian as infami or pentiti, depending on the context.