In Dubio Pro Reo: The Impact of Certainty and Uncertainty on the Identities and Beliefs of an Organized Crime Member

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study scrutinizes the influence of certainty and uncertainty on identity and beliefs. While certainty is often perceived as positive and uncertainty as negative for an individual, this research reveals that they can operate in more nuanced ways. The focus here is understanding their effects on individuals with interconnected yet conflicting identities and beliefs. Through a case study of Antonio – a member of organized crime who also embraces identities as an artist and a migrant – narratives emerge that illustrate how these forces act upon him. Rather than merely describing how certainty and uncertainty shape involvement in organized crime, the study highlights the complexities they introduce to an individual’s various identities and beliefs systems, and reveals their alignment with specific contextual and communicative needs. This study thus holds significant implications for comprehending how attitudes toward certainty and uncertainty influence identity and belief development in a world typified by both stability and change, and how a criminal identity might intersect with other identities based on the processing of these certainties and uncertainties.