<p>The phenomenon of youth gangs in Italy exhibits structural features that distinguish it from the Anglo-American and Latin American models which have long dominated international criminological debate. Two features are particularly notable: the long-standing presence of well-established mafia-type organisations, such as Cosa Nostra, Camorra and ‘Ndrangheta, which influence the context of juvenile delinquency, and the organisational flexibility that defines most contemporary youth groups. Drawing on a critical review of national and international criminological literature, as well as an analysis of three paradigmatic territorial contexts (Naples, Rome and Milan), this article presents a two-dimensional analytical typology constructed along Weberian ideal-typical lines. This typology considers both the degree of structuring of criminal activities and the presence of links to organised crime. The four resulting types – fluid aggregations, imitative groups, autonomous gangs and mafia-derived gangs – aim to capture the heterogeneity of the Italian phenomenon and to address some of the limitations of existing classifications which treat the gang–organised crime nexus as either an evolutionary trajectory or a residual variable. The typology is discussed in relation to its potential for comparison with other European contexts characterised by the coexistence of youth gangs and mature criminal organisations.</p>