Mafia mobsters claimed to be more sensitive, family-centred than other criminals

London: A new study has found that members of the Mafia are more sensitive, family orientated and less selfish than other murderers.

According to a research by Italian researcher Professor Adriano Schimmenti, which looked into incarcerated Sicilian mobsters, members of the Mafia also appeared to have lower psychopathic traits than other criminals, the Independent reported.

The research involved 30 inmates who were psychologically assessed using the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R) which measures psychotic characteristics.

Seven of the Mafia members had been convicted of murder, 17 for violent crimes and the remainder for crimes such as drug trafficking, sexual exploitation and kidnapping, according to Discovery Magazine.

Those who received a score of 30 or above are considered a psychopath. None of the Mafia members scored over 30 in the researchers' test.

Instead, they expressed more concern for their family than the group of 39 non-Mafia prisoners convicted of non-gang related crimes, and never ceased to write or call them.

The study Mafia and Psychopathy is published in the journal Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health.