The challenges facing specialist police cyber-crime units: an empirical analysis

Harkin, Diarmaid; Whelan, Chad; Chang, Lennon Yao-chung

doi:10.1080/15614263.2018.1507889

Cited by 55 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Agencies appear to be restructuring their approach to cybercrime, increasing in specialized cybercrime units to investigate these offenses within the United States (Willits & Nowacki, 2016). The creation of specialized units does not guarantee successful responses to cybercrime, as recent evidence from an Australian study suggests cybercrime investigative units report issues with workload, inadequate resources, and insufficient skills and training (Harkin, Whelan, & Chang, 2018).…”

Section: Law Enforcement Views Of Cybercrime and Online Incidentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Law Enforcement Views Of Cybercrime and Online Incidentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research also suggests police resources affect officers’ views on the nature of online crimes and their relationship to traditional offenses (Harkin et al, 2018; Holt & Bossler, 2012; Leukfeldt et al, 2013; Senjo, 2004). Without the necessary tools and resources to assist cybercrime victims who contact law enforcement, responding officers may feel unequipped to have successful encounters in the field (Cross, 2015; Cross & Blackshaw, 2014; Harkin et al, 2018). Law enforcement officers’ skill and comfort level with technology may also influence opinions toward cybercrime investigations, as those with more personal and field experience with cybercrime calls for service and technology may be more aware of the potential risks of online crime (e.g., Hinduja, 2007; Holt & Bossler, 2015; Holt et al, 2018, 2019; Leukfeldt et al, 2013).…”

Section: Law Enforcement Views Of Cybercrime and Online Incidentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Internet and networked devices also make victim targeting asymmetric, as offenders can access a larger pool of potential victims than in conventional off-line crimes (Hinduja, 2007). The technical complexity involved in some investigations may also exceed local resources and knowledge, making it difficult for inspectors to identify the offender (Harkin et al, 2018; Leukfeldt et al, 2013).…”

Section: Law Enforcement Views Of Cybercrime and Online Incidentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Examining English and Welsh Detectives’ Views of Online Crime

Lee

Holt

Burruss

et al. 2019

International Criminal Justice Review

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The advancement of the Internet and digital technology has enabled individuals to commit crimes affecting both virtual and real targets at will. Criminological scholarship related to cybercrime and technology-enabled offending has primarily focused on offenders and victims, calling to question how police agencies effectively respond to these incidents. Limited empirical research has largely focused on line officers, who view these cyber offenses to be less serious in comparison to traditional crimes. Research examining the perceptions of detectives and inspectors is virtually nonexistent, though they are much more likely to have an investigative responsibility to pursue offenders and engage with citizens about the offense. Thus, there is a need to understand the attitudes inspectors hold toward online crime in order to improve our knowledge of police views and inform policy makers in building effective strategies to aid their response to unique and emerging crime types. This study examined the attitudinal factors associated with online crimes and incidents using a sample of 155 inspectors from 26 local agencies across England and Wales. The implications of this study for both police detectives and law enforcement agencies are discussed in detail.

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Section: Law Enforcement Views Of Cybercrime and Online Incidentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Law Enforcement Views Of Cybercrime and Online Incidentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Law Enforcement Views Of Cybercrime and Online Incidentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Law Enforcement Views Of Cybercrime and Online Incidentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Examining English and Welsh Detectives’ Views of Online Crime

Lee

Holt

Burruss

et al. 2019

International Criminal Justice Review

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“…A growing body of literature is calling attention to the challenges police face in relation to preventing and responding to cyber-crime (e.g. Bossler and Holt, 2012;Cockcroft et al, 2018;Dupont, 2017;Gogolin and Jones, 2010;Hadlington et al, 2018;Harkin et al, 2018;Holt et al, 2012;Huey et al, 2012;Leukfeldt, 2017;Leukfeldt et al, 2013;Wall, 2007;Wall and Williams, 2007;Yar, 2013). Some have also focused more on specialised areas of policing, such as the challenges facing computer or digital forensic analysts (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Civilianising specialist units: Reflections on the policing of cyber-crime

Whelan

Harkin

2019

Criminology & Criminal Justice

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Civilianisation refers to utilising non-sworn personnel to perform certain roles within police organisations. While the civilianisation of policing has been examined in a variety of contexts, it has generally been in relation to attempts to improve police efficiency. The current literature is much less focused on efforts to intentionally seek out civilians to improve police effectiveness, which, we suggest, is likely to apply in the case of police responses to cyber-crime. Using empirical data collected with three specialist cyber-crime units in Australia, we explore the arguments for and against civilianising cyber-crime units as a strategy to improve police capacity, as reported by police and civilian members of these units. We consider these arguments in relation to a broader debate as to whether it is better to improve police capacity by employing civilian experts or attempt to develop greater expertise on cyber-crime among police.

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