Cybercrime Unmasked: Myths, AI, and the Reality of Impunity

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

This panel features three studies exploring the evolving cybercrime landscape. One study examines whether America's crime drop can partly be explained by a shift of offenses into cyberspace, using IC3 and from the UCR/NIBRS systems crime data to assess the displacement of certain crimes. A second talk investigates how AI tools are reshaping cyber-offenses by lowering barriers for criminals, drawing on thematic analysis of cybercrime forum discussions. The final presentation explores judicial challenges in prosecuting cybercriminals through interviews with 35 individuals, shedding light on misdirected prosecutions and legal complexities. Collectively, these studies offer valuable insights for law enforcement, policymakers, and cybersecurity professionals confronting a rapidly changing digital criminal environment.

Sub Unit

• Area III. Types of Offending / 21. Identity Theft and Cyber Crime

Individual Presentations

• Material or Myth or Mirage: Re-examining Cybercrime as a Potential Explanation for the Crime Drop - Timothy Austin Engle, University of Cincinnati

• AI-Enabled Cybercrime: Exploring Adoption Trends in Underground Communities - Benoit Dupont, Université de Montréal

• 35 Cybercriminals: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Impunity in Cyberspace - Ana Castañeda-Acosta, Southern Illinois University; Mike Toro, Southern Illinois University

Organized by a Division or external group?

Division of Cybercrime