Assignment:
Several different areas of criminological thought can be used to explain digital crime. First, it can be argued that some computer criminals commit their offenses due to rational choice and a lack of fear of apprehension. Second, it can be argued that restricted moral development and the presentation of a personality disorder may lead a person to commit digital crime. Third, strain and subculture theories can be applied to digital crime. Fourth, learning and social control theories can explain some types of digital crime as well. Fifth, political theory can be used to explain acts of terrorism. Although little theoretical development has occurred in the area of digital crime, several current criminological theories have been applied with some success to this phenomenon, including piracy, hacking, cyber stalking, and harassment.
CHOICE THEORY
The choice theory of criminology is otherwise known as the classical theory. The underlying concepts of this theory is that people generally act in their own self-interest and make decisions to commit crime after weighing the potential risks (including getting caught and punished) against the rewards.
It also assumes people are inherently bad, that if given the free will to commit crime, most people would jump at the chance. Therefore, when opportunity knocks, if the negative possibilities that come along with committing the crime are minimized (low likelihood of getting caught, lenient punishment) in contrast to the possible rewards (wealth, power, prestige), potential criminals make a "rational" choice to engage in crime. Does that mean that the best way to stop cybercrime is to make the consequences appear and be more negative than positive?
Not necessarily. The problem with this theory is that, for many criminals today, incarceration is a part of doing business. They are aware of the risks. Just as someone who plays the lottery is aware of the risk of losing money, so is the drug dealer's awareness to the risk of incarceration.
If you think about it, threats to punish those found to be guilty of cybercrime are not very intimidating because the cyber attacker knows that in most cases it will be impossible to meet the burden of proof necessary to get a conviction.
If the consequences of the crime are going to act as a deterrent, we must maintain consistency in sentencing criminals for specific acts. The classical theory does not take into account people who are intoxicated or angry. The justice system is designed to provide people with a fair trial. This process results in plea bargaining agreements in which the criminal pleads guilty to a lesser charge and/or cases are dismissed, creating better odds for the criminal.
ROUTINE ACTIVITIES THEORY
Routine activities theory is based on rational choice. According to Cohen and Felson, crime occurs when there is a convergence in time and space of three factors:
a motivated offender (e.g., a hacker);
a suitable target (e.g., a vulnerable computer system);
the absence of a capable guardian (e.g., inadequate software protection).
All three factors must be present in order for a crime to occur. In sum, when motivated offenders are present they make rational choices by selecting suitable targets that lack capable guardianship. This reduces their chances of apprehension.
Routine activities theory is applicable to digital crime because the rapid expansion of the use of computers and the Internet has increased the number of suitable targets. Also, the global nature of the Internet has exponentially expanded the number of targets available to individual computer crime offenders. Likewise, the lack of adequate software protection can be considered as an absence of capable guardianship within the context of the theory.
DETERRENCE THEORY
Deterrence theory omits the reward component. Deterrence theory argues that a particular behavior is inhibited or deterred in direct proportion to the perceived probability and severity of punishment expected for the behavior.
Deterring terrorists, patriotic hackers, and cyber criminals is a difficult challenge. In order to successfully deter terrorists from pursuing cyber warfare the United States is focusing on improving its cyber security and resiliency. Improved defense may convince terrorist groups that the execution of a successful cyber-attack is well beyond its capabilities. Additionally, improved resiliency may convince terrorist groups that even if successful a cyber-attack may not have the desired crippling effect.
PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES
Psychological theories focus on how it is the individual differences that predispose some people to commit crime. In other words, all individuals have criminal tendencies. These differences may arise from personality characteristics, biological factors, or social interactions.
PERSONALITY DISORDERS
Individuals with certain personality types are more prone to commit criminal acts.
Antisocial Personality Disorder is a mental disorder highly associated with crime. An individual with Antisocial Personality Disorder has a persistent pattern of disregard for the rights of others. The disorder is characterized by a lack of respect for lawful behavior. They repeatedly carry out acts that are grounds for their arrest. There is an extremely high tendency for such an individual to be deceitful. They will often be found to be using aliases, repeatedly lying, or conning people for either profit or pleasure alone. These individuals tend to lack remorse as displayed by their indifference for harming others.
Borderline Personality Disorder is a complex disorder that is often misunderstood. The disorder affects how individuals feel about themselves, how they relate to others and how they behave. It is a serious disorder marked by a pattern of ongoing instability in moods, behavior, self-image, and functioning. A person with BPD may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last from only a few hours to days.
However, this doesn't mean we should assume that all people diagnosed with the disorder are the same and it certainly should not be used as an excuse for criminal behavior. Individuals with personality disorders are quite capable of making choices about their behavior and know the difference between right and wrong. While mental health experts now generally agree that the label "borderline personality disorder" is very misleading, a more accurate term does not exist yet.
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
People develop the motivation to commit crime and the skills to commit crime through the people they associate with. Malicious computer codes like worms and viruses are often spread by someone who is seeking to cause harm to an individual or company-possibly over losing a job, perceived unethical business conduct or maybe even jealousy or envy. Such parties intend to destroy or cripple their targets for the personal satisfaction of seeing them suffer the effects.
TERRORISM AND POLITICAL THEORY
Terrorism is defined as any political activity that relies on violence or the threat of violence to achieve its ends. It can also be defined as the deliberate attack on innocent civilians for political purposes. Terrorists have specific goals they are determined to achieve, and most will stop at almost nothing to make sure they achieve these goals. In addition, terrorists reinforce one another and plan together making their terrorist attacks even more devastating. Terrorism usually has specific intentions which strikes fear into people.
Cyber-terrorists use information technology to attack civilians and draw attention to their cause. Terrorists use information technology, such as computer systems or telecommunications, as a tool to coordinate an attack. More often, cyber-terrorism refers to an attack on information technology itself in a way that would drastically disrupt networked services. For example, cyber-terrorists could disable networked emergency systems or hack into networks housing critical financial information.
The September 11th terrorist attack produced several interrelated fears about the role that the Internet and networked computers might play in a terrorist attack. The biggest fear was that information stored on computers might be vulnerable. In this regard, individuals who seek to threaten American national security could do so if they obtained weapons system information or substantial financial information from banks.
In addition, the networks over which information is transmitted could be compromised. Their compromise would of course give the criminally-minded among us access to information, as well as the opportunity to influence or manipulate its flow.