Understanding Crime Trends in a Hybrid Society: The Digital Drift (Springer, Open Access, 2025)

Session Submission Type: Author meets critics

Abstract

Marcelo F. Aebi and Stefano Caneppele from the University of Lausanne, along with Fernando Miró-Llinares from Miguel Hernández University of Elche, present and discuss with critics their new book "Understanding Crime Trends in a Hybrid Society: The Digital Drift" (Springer, Open Access, 2025). This volume explores how the digital revolution transformed crime patterns over recent decades. The authors analyse the complex relationship between digitalization and crime trends, examining how the digital transformation of society has influenced patterns of criminal behaviour, victimization, and law enforcement responses.
The book is structured in five chapters: Chapter 1 (Aebi) establishes the historical and philosophical foundations of criminology's progressive ethos, providing context for understanding how the field approaches technological change and its effects on crime. Chapter 2 (Aebi) presents a systematic review of the scholarly debate surrounding the concept of an “international crime drop” since the 1990s, analysing four distinct interpretative narratives. Chapter 3 (Miró-Llinares & Aebi) develops a theoretical framework for understanding how digitalization influences social change and crime trends, proposing a conjecture about the mechanisms through which digital transformation affects criminal behaviour. Chapter 4 (Miró-Llinares) presents empirical evidence for the “digital leisure hypothesis”, examining how increased engagement with digital entertainment, particularly among youth, has contributed to shifts in criminal opportunities. Chapter 5 (Caneppele) offers a scoping review of cybercrime research methods and measurement approaches, examining how researchers have studied different types of cybercrime and the methodological challenges they face.
The session will include critical reflections on the book's contributions followed by the authors' responses and open discussion.

Subtopic

• Topic 7: Comparative and Historical Perspectives / Historical Comparisons of Crime (Historical Criminology WG)

Critics

• Janet Stamatel, University of Kentucky

• Janne Kivivuori, University of Helsinki

• David Buil-Gil, The University of Manchester

Book Authorss

• Marcelo F. Aebi, University of Lausanne

• Fernando Miró-Llinares, CRÍMINA Center, University Miguel Hernández of Elche

• Stefano Caneppele, University of Lausanne