Cyber Crime & Punishment: Cyberoffending Behavior and Perceptions of Sanctions

• In Event: Research on the State of Cybercrime and Law Enforcement Capability in the United States

Abstract

The global response to cybercrime requires accurate perceptions of prevalence, severity, and impact of online threats. Policy must reflect not only advancements in technology assisted crimes, but also the appropriate sanctions in line with the impact of cybercrime victimization. As research continues to build a literature surrounding technology’s role in criminal behavior, policy makers struggle to keep up with the advancement of attack vectors following evolutions in technology use. Previous studies have used vignette style assessments of appropriate sanctions for cybercrime in college students, but this perception has yet to be linked to offending behavior in a nationally representative sample. The current study’s goal is twofold: first, we determine the prevalence of cybercrime offenses in a general sample of the United States, (2) then we assess differences in perceptions of cybercrime events and sanctions using an experimental vignette design. Results are examined in the context of cybercrime deterrence and policy making. Suggestions for policy makers regarding the appropriateness of cybercrime offenses sanctions are discussed.

Authors

• Taylor Fisher, Michigan State University

• Rachel L. McNealey, Michigan State University

• Thomas Holt, Michigan State University

• Karen Holt, Michigan State University

• Julie Krupa, Michigan State University