The Measurement of Online Delinquency: An Assessment of the Perceived Seriousness of Cybercrimes

• In Event: Showcasing the Undergraduates of the University of Cincinnati Cybercrime and Behavior Online Research Group

Abstract

Sellin and Wolfgang’s (1964) examination of the perceived seriousness of crime has widely been held as a consistent and reliable means of measuring the public’s attitudes towards the seriousness of crime. However, since this groundbreaking work, an entire new collection of crimes have emerged: cybercrime. Due to its relative recency, examinations of perceptions of the seriousness of cybercrime have been limited. The current study uses the original framework of Sellin and Wolfgang to examine the perceived seriousness of several cybercrimes as well as other crime types, while including variation in socioeconomic status, race, and dogmatic beliefs. Analyses of data from a large opt-in online sample (n = 479) indicated that perceptions of the seriousness of cybercrime relative to other forms of crime are mixed and varies largely by specific offense categories. Additionally, the perceived seriousness of cybercrimes was differentially associated with key covariates. Consequently, despite the general apathy towards cybercrime, the public may view online crime types as more serious than some forms of terrestrial crime. Accordingly, future areas of research and implications are proposed.

Authors

• Timothy Austin Engle, University of Cincinnati

• Cooper Maher, Michigan State University

• Joe Carroll, University of Cincinnati

• Joseph L. Nedelec, University of Cincinnati