Due to the increased use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in day to day engagements, digital crimes have also been on the rise in the recent times. The computers act both as an object, subject, and a tool for committing digital crimes (Mohammed, 2015). Mohammed (2015) maintains that there is no sufficient definition of digital crimes, but observed that digital crime may encompass all illegal activities done to data, or information on computers, or networks. Common forms of digital crimes include, but are not limited to, assault through threats on social media, child pornography, and exploitation, cyber laundering, and theft (Mohammed, 2015).
Theories Explaining Causes of Digital Crime
The objective of this document is to understand the reasons why people commit digital crime. Two theories, self-control theory, and Social Control theory, are chosen to explain the cause of digital crime. These two theories are chosen because they provide answers to two opposing questions. While self-control theory answers why people commit digital crime, social control theory provides an explanation as to why people adhere to laws, rules norms. Both the theories also provide the psychological motive of the crime, and this is interesting considering any criminal act often originate from the mind. These two
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It proposes that individuals commit a criminal act only if they believe this act will be of benefit to them (Higgins, 2007). Committing a crime, therefore, involve a rational individual making a decision on whether to commit a crime, or not based on available information, on the possible cost, and benefits of committing a crime. The costs of committing a crime may include pain, fines, and jail term, while the benefit may involve financial gain, pleasure, or elevation of one’s social status. This theory also believes that causes of crime are dependent on the environment/context rather than the
Taylor, R. W., Fritsch, E. J., Liederbach, J., & Holt, T. J. (2011). Digital Crime and Digital Terrorism 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Social control theory tries to explain why it is that all of us do not commit crime. Social control theory gained prominence during the 1960s. Travis Hirschi put forth his new theory that was built upon existing concepts of social control. His social control theory declared that ties to school, family, and other aspects of society serve to lessen one 's tendency for deviant behavior. Hirschi believes that because of the bond with co-workers, teachers, friends and family and activities such as education or career goals cause people to have less time to commit crimes. I would have to disagree to some extent. If you chose to hang out with a family member or friend that is into criminal behavior such as drugs or being involved with a gang, that
Rational Choice theory says that criminal behavior is not only a response to social pressures and upbringing, but it is also a choice. The offender’s choices may not always be rational and may draw on previously established beliefs about their opportunities to commit acts of violence. This theory focuses on the effectiveness of interventions to decide how to best reduce the benefits of crime and increase the cost of criminal action. Rational Choice theory is in the classical school, which is based on the idea that individuals choose to engage in crime (Gosselin, pp. 67-68, 2014).
According to Clarke and Cornish (2001, p. 34), “the rational choice perspective was explicitly developed to assist policy thinking … specifically through detailed modeling of criminal decision making. The theory theorizes that offenders who have chosen to commit criminal acts, do so because of the reward it brings to them. Coupled with the different conditions that are needed for specific crimes to occur, with its emphasizes on the role of crime opportunities in causation.
In today’s society the theory known as social control theory was a theory that most individuals could have found themselves relating to. Theorists that helped in the development of the social control theory did not ask the one major question of what made an individual a criminal or act in a deviant way, these theorists shared a thought that deviant behavior was to be expected. This theory did not end up becoming popular till the mid 1970’s and the theory really blossomed into three distinct trends (Williams &McShane, 2014). The first trend that was in the social control theory was the reaction to the labeling and conflict orientation and return to the examination of criminal behavior of a deviant individual (Williams &McShane, 2014). The second trend in the social control theory was the rise in the study criminal justice as a discipline helped move criminology in a system orientated direction. Lastly social control theories were linked with a new research technique that was used for finding delinquent behavior which were called the self-report survey, which became very popular. In the social control theory what must have been explained is why individuals made the decision to obey the rules that were made for the individuals, not what made them act in a deviant way. Some theorists in the social control theory demonstrated the view of human nature which reflected the beliefs of the theorist Thomas Hobbes an English philosopher who was convinced that human nature was just an evil thing. The modern versions of social control theory were the reactions to strain theories (Williams &McShane, 2014). The theories in the Chicago school also played a critical in the development of the social control theory; the ideas of the Chicago school c...
In chapter two of the book A Different Mirror the English settle in Virginia where the Indians known as Powhatans where living, upon arrival the English settles where kind , they wanted a good relationship with the Indian people a possible friendship. The English suffered in the new world, as they were faced with hardship of not having food, which made them resort to cannibalism, murder, eating animals and dead corpse. The Indian people brought them food to help them however that was not enough and therefore the English attacked the Indians and destroyed their villages. A year later the Indians where to be forced into labor and forced into paying annual payment, after this the Indians knew they couldn’t all live peacefully, A war broke off as the English fought the Indians to flee and obtain their land, on both sides people where dying however, a lot of Indians died while they were negotiating a peace treaty as the English had no intention of staying with the Indian as they’re goal was to root out the Indians form their own land.
The use of computers in homes, schools, offices, and other places has increased in the past few years due to technological developments. As computers have become important components of modern communication, their increased use has also led to the emergence of computer crimes. Computer crimes basically involve the use of a computer system to carry out an illegal activity. In attempts to lessen the frequency and impact of computer crimes, law enforcement agencies use computer forensic to investigate these offenses. Actually, computer crimes are governed by specific laws and dealt with through conducting a computer forensic investigation (Easttom & Taylor, 2011, p.337). Notably, a computer forensic investigation is usually carried out through the use of computer forensic tools, which help in collection of evidence based on the specific offense.
It is noticed that rational choice theory is a neo-classical economic plan that gives a hypothetical clarification for how people make choices when confronted with decisions. Moreover, this theory contends that an individual decides how an individual will act by adjusting the expenses and advantages of their choices. Due to its elegant clarification, the RCT has been broadly connected to the investigation of individual, social, and monetary practices in numerous settings. Knapp and Ferrante (2012) stated that adopted a rational choice viewpoint in his financial way to deal with wrongdoing and contended that a criminal augments their expected benefit from an illegal movement in excess of the anticipated expense of discipline.
Technology has opened new encounters and opportunities for the criminal justice system. There are so many new practices of criminal activity, such as computer crimes. There are different types of computer crimes that many people become victims of every day. Computer crime is any crime that involves a computer and a network. The computer may have been used in the commission of a crime, or it may be the target ("Computer Crime: Chapter 2: What Are the Crimes?", n.d.). Crimes such as data diddling, pump and dump, social engineering and spoofing are computer crimes. Even though these crimes are difficult by privacy issues, the new technology has made investigations and prosecutions well organized and effective. Though views are different on the pros and cons of specific technological changes in the criminal justice system, there is an agreement the system has changed affectedly ("Effects of Technology in Criminal Justice | eHow", n.d.).
Millions of people around the world use computers and the internet every day. We all use it in school, work even at home, computers have made us life easier, it has brought so many benefits to the society but it has also brought some problems and cybercrimes is one of them. “The times have really changed,” said Greg Garcia, the department’s assistant secretary for cyber security and communications. “We’re seeing now phishing, farming, botnets … war dialing and domain server spoofing. And we’re seeing coordinated cyber-attacks against nation states.” (Fowler 5) Cybercrime is one of the most prevalent and most popular rising crimes being committed today. This is criminal activity done using computers and the Internet. There are millions victims around the world everyday who face these problems. Most people become victims of these at one time or another, but there are ways to avoid or deal with cybercrime by protecting yourself appropriately. I also was one of those victims who faced a similar problem. This unfortunate truth forces me to understand that computers and the Internet have made our lives easier in many ways. However, it is unfortunate that people also use these technologies to take advantage of others through identity theft, hacking attempts, and malicious use of software.
The 90's internet boom gave rise to new ways of writing in through access to cyberspace. What used to be printed or handwritten on physical surfaces such as paper, cardboard, or bulletin boards has changed to 0's and 1's, bits and bytes of digitized information that can be displayed thru the projections of computer screens. Moreover, the internet has made the process of publishing one's works, writing letters, or chatting with one another much easier and convenient for everyone around the globe. The internet became a universal tool, giving much freedom and flexibility to the users; it gave them opportunity to deliver their thoughts with little or no restrictions. Since it's impossible to regulate all cyber-activities, internet users are often unrestricted by the normal laws or authorities that would set boundaries around the various online transactions. More importantly, the fact that a net user can take on different identities in cyberspace brings about several ethical and social issues. These anonymous and unrestrictive characteristics of cyberspace often permite abusive users to easily involve themselves in serious cybercrimes such as cyberstalking, cyber-rape, and cyber-harassment through chatting services, emails, cyber communities, and other online communication.
These types of crimes have become a matter of importance for the consumers as well the business firms because it involves large eviction of the amount in terms of money. In these types of crimes, computer and Internet are the primary factor (Spinello, 2000). A high percentage of population is using computers in the Australia, United States as well as other developed nations. These people are much more connected with the world by the use of internet. They are using the computer for fun, business, e-commerce, e-marketing, etc.; thus, it has become an essential part of life and daily routine (Wall, 2008).
Different schools of thought propose varying theoretical models of criminality. It is agreeable that criminal behaviour is deep rooted in societies and screams for attention. Biological, Social ecological and psychological model theories are key to helping researchers gain deeper comprehension of criminal behaviour and ways to avert them before they become a menace to society. All these theories put forward a multitude of factors on the outlooks on crime. All these theories have valid relevancy to continuous research on criminal behaviour.
Cybercrime is a global issue plaguing the world. The dictionary defines cybercrime as “crime conducted via the Internet or some other computer network”(Merriam-Webster). The definition remains very broad because the word “cyber” is defined as “relating to the culture of computers, information technology, and virtual reality.” Due to the growing number of people gaining access to the internet, rapid development of technology, and the globalization of the world, more of the world population is becoming susceptible to involvement in cybercrime – whether it be as a victim or a criminal. Cybercrime involves different levels of the world on both the victim and criminal side, from an individual citizen, to small groups, businesses, and the government, to the countries of the world.
Computer crime or Cyber Crime is defined as any type of crime that involves or regards a computer or computer network. Cyber Crime mainly means that the computer may be used as a tool in the commission of the crime or the computer may be the main target of the criminal’s crime. The rapid growth of technology and gadgets as well as the further de...