A Critical Perspective on Cybercrime: Green Cybercriminology

• In Event: Roundtable: Green Criminology and Environmental Crime

Abstract

In general, the sub-discipline of cybercriminology does not focus on environmental issues, nor does it employ critical perspectives. This paper argues that these are two important areas for development, which are key components of a new approach I call "green cybercriminology". Green cybercriminology employs many of the key ideas and research topics found within green criminology to address environmental crimes that are linked to the cybersphere and our dependence on electronic technologies. I use case studies to outline three realms of examination within this new approach: (1) Cyber-enabled crimes, environmental crimes and harms made possible through internet and electronic communications, (2) Cyber-dependent crimes, environmental crimes which would not occur if not for our dependence on digital and electronic technologies and the cybersphere, and (3) Cyber resistance, a refocuses to examine the ways in which cyber technologies can be used to resist environmental crimes and harms.

Author

• Robert Perdue, Virginia Tech