Do cyber-birds flock together? Comparing deviance among social network members of cyber-dependent offenders and traditional offenders

Abstract

The distinct setting in which cyber-dependent crime takes place may reduce the similarity in the deviance of social network members. We test this assumption by analysing the deviance of the most important social contacts of cyber-dependent offenders and traditional offenders in the Netherlands (N = 344 offenders; N = 1131 social contacts). As expected, similarity in deviance is weaker for cyber-dependent crime. Because this is a strong predictor of traditional offending, this has important implications for criminological research and practice. Additionally, for both crime types the offending behaviour of a person is more strongly linked to the deviance of social ties if those ties are of the same gender and age, and if the offender has daily contact with them. Implications and future criminological research suggestions are discussed.

Out of control online? A combined examination of peer-offending and perceived formal and informal social control in relation to system-trespassing

“…Such strong positive effects have also been found in the context of online crimes. As for traditional crime (Pratt et al 2009) online offending of peers has shown to be an important predictor of online offending of an individual, including system-trespassing offenses (Bossler and Burruss 2011;Donner et al 2014;Holt 2007;Holt, Bossler, and May 2012;Holt, Burruss, and Bossler 2010;Holt and Kilger 2008;Hu, Xu, and Yayla 2013;Marcum et al 2014;Morris 2011;National Crime Agency 2017;Rogers 2001;Weulen Kranenbarg, Ruiter, and Van Gelder 2019).…”

Enhancing relationships between criminology and cybersecurity

“…This has allowed them to explore market forces at work, including the role played by trust, reputation, social ties, expert knowledge, business practices and operational security measures—to name a few—in the criminal performance of these underground markets, and of their participants (Holt, 2017). A smaller number of studies have also relied on youth surveys to understand the onset of pathways to cybercrime (Brewer et al., 2018; Fox & Holt, 2020), as well as to compare cyber-offenders with traditional offenders (Weulen Kranenbarg et al., 2019). A few researchers have also managed to interview malicious hackers and to gain access to police investigative files (Leukfeldt et al., 2017; Lusthaus, 2018), opening a window into the offending patterns, thinking models and rationalisation processes of cyber-offenders.…”

The Challenges of Empirically Comparing Cybercriminals and Traditional Offenders

“…With respect to differential association, cybercriminal friends can be found both online and offline. Social learning from offline friends may be different from traditional crimes, as online behavior of friends is less visible; social learning of offline friends may not impact a person's cybercriminal behavior as much a traditional criminal behavior would (Weulen Kranenbarg et al, 2021). However, studies have shown that many cybercriminals also have online criminal contacts.…”

“…This gap in the literature has been addressed in 2021 (Weulen Kranenbarg et al, 2021). In this study, a high-risk sample of Dutch adult cybercriminals and traditional criminals answered self-report survey questions on their online and offline criminal behavior.…”