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Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to summarise existing literature on the characteristics of the victims of cyber-enabled crimes. The first two chapters examine the effects of cyberspace and cybercrimes, as well as the impact of victimisation and how it can be particularly harmful for vulnerable people. It demonstrates how cybercrime has become a significant threat to society, not only because of its economic impact, but also for its potential to magnify the consequences of victimisation. This dissertation found evidence that while certain groups, including adolescents, women and minority groups, are at a heightened risk of cyber-enabled crimes, those who suffer from various personal vulnerabilities – such as being impulsive or lacking social intelligence - are also at significant risk. Social media sites play a central role in facilitating cyber-enabled crime, raising serious questions about the responsibility of those who run such platforms. Despite the prevalence of cybercrime – and, particularly, cyber-enabled crime – there continue to be inconsistencies in academic and legal definitions. It is argued here that this has resulted in limited statistics on cyber-enabled crimes, reflected in the inadequate efforts to tackle this problem. This review suggests that UK policymakers should implement legal definitions for the crimes, and social media sites should take drastic measures to detect – and deter – crimes more effectively.

Course: Crime and Criminology - BSc (Hons) - C2113P

Date Deposited: 2020-11-23

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13611.html