Catherine D. Marcum

Digital Piracy: An Examination of Three Measurements of Self-Control

Research has shown a link between digital piracy and self-control. However, the research focuses on only one version of self-control theory. The purpose of the present study is to examine the link between self-control and digital piracy. Using data from 358 college students, this study shows that all 3 measures of self-control help us understand the link between self-control and digital piracy. The results indicate that illuminating the factors that could be inhibitions and developing strong social bonds can reduce the likelihood of digital piracy.

Potential Factors of Online Victimization of Youth: An Examination of Adolescent Online Behaviors Utilizing Routine Activity Theory

The purpose of this study was to investigate Internet usage in a sample of college undergraduates, as well as to consider their experiences with online victimization, through variables representing the three constructs of Routine Activity Theory. A survey was administered to 100-level courses at a mid-sized university in the northeast, which questioned respondents on their Internet behaviors and experiences with victimization during the high school senior and college freshman time period. The findings of the study indicated that participating in behaviors that increased exposure to motivated offenders and target suitability in turn increased the likelihood of the three types of victimization measured. Conversely, taking protective measures against victimization to improve capable guardianship did not decrease the likelihood of victimization. This research provides a significant contribution to the literature as there are few explanatory studies that attempt to identify causal reasoning for the victimization of adolescents online.

Assessing Sex Experiences of Online Victimization: An Examination of Adolescent Online Behaviors Using Routine Activity Theory

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in online victimization between genders, through variables representing the three constructs of routine activity theory. A survey was administered to 100-level courses at a mid-sized university in the northeast, which questioned respondent on their Internet behaviors and experiences during the high school senior and college freshman time period. The findings of the study indicated that participating in behaviors that increased exposure to motivated offenders and target suitability in turn increased the likelihood of victimization for both genders. Conversely, taking protective measures to improve capable guardianship was shown to be the least effective measure, as it did not decrease the likelihood of victimization. This research provides a significant contribution to the literature as there are few explanatory studies that attempt to identify causal reasoning for this behavior.

Interpreting the intentions of Internet predators: An examination of online predatory behavior

ABSTRACT Internet predators are finding new ways to prey on the vulnerabilities of youth in chat rooms and lure them into sexual activities. This study will examine three chat room transcripts between adult predators and adult volunteers of the group “Perverted Justice” posing as youth. These conversations will be analyzed to interpret the underlying meanings behind the words and actions of the predators and how they affect potential victims. The purpose of this article is to provide insight to the reader of the increased amount of child sexual abuse on the Internet, the often-blatant tactics used by online predators to pursue this abuse, and how they are continuing to successfully manipulate children with them.

Low self-control and cybercrime: Exploring the utility of the general theory of crime beyond digital piracy

While technological innovations over the last thirty years have markedly improved the ways in which people communicate and gather information, these advances have also led to computer crimes and related deviance becoming permanent fixtures in our society. In an effort to curtail internet offending, it is important for academics and practitioners alike to better understand why some individuals engage in cybercriminality. Criminologists have utilized several theories to investigate this type of deviance, including low self-control theory. However, the vast majority of this prior research has focused on a narrow scope of offending, namely digital piracy. The current study utilizes a sample of 488 undergraduate students to evaluate the theory’s generality hypothesis by examining the extent to which low self-control predicts online deviance in general and beyond digital piracy more specifically. Study results support the generality hypothesis in that low self-control is related to non-digital piracy online deviance. Specific findings, policy implications, and directions for future research are discussed.

Examining the Link Between Being a Victim of Bullying and Delinquency Trajectories Among an African American Sample

The purpose of the present study is to provide an analysis of the link between being a victim of bullying and delinquency trajectories. Using a sample of African Americans (n = 725), the results show that three distinct trajectory groups of delinquency are present in the data (low desisting, desisting, and high changing). Further, the results indicate that being a victim of bullying is relevant in distinguishing between these three delinquency groups net other controls (i.e., being male, marijuana use, gang membership, and poor parental support). These results are discussed in theoretical contexts.

Routine Cell Phone Activity and Exposure to Sext Messages Extending the Generality of Routine Activity Theory and Exploring the Etiology of a Risky Teenage Behavior

Increased cell phone use among adolescents has created new opportunities for deviance and victimization in recent years. One teenage cell phone−based behavior that has received increased attention from a variety of sources including public health researchers, parents, and law enforcement is “sexting” (i.e., a minor receiving sexually explicit photos or videos of another adolescent or adult via cell phone or sending such material to another teenager). Research has revealed that sexting is a risky form of adolescent deviance that is linked with a host of potential negative health consequences (e.g., risky sexual behavior and drug use) and legal ramifications. Despite the importance of the issue, research exploring the risk factors associated with exposure to sexts is virtually nonexistent. Using telephone interview data from a representative sample of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, the present study applies routine activity theory to explain the receiving of sexts. The results confirm expectations that both exposure-based (e.g., use of a cell phone during school hours) and supervision-based (i.e., school cell phone rules and family cell phone plan) routine cell phone activities are associated with receiving sexts. Overall, the study extends the generality of routine activity theory to teenage sexting, highlights the utility of examining domain-specific routine activity indicators, and offers one of the first theoretically informed analyses concerning the factors associated with adolescent sexting.

Policing possession of child pornography online: Investigating the training and resources dedicated to the investigation of cyber crime

The internet is not a single network, limited to one specific type of information or restrictive of the types of users who can access its information. Conversely, the internet is an intercontinental information highway that has enabled people of all ages to communicate with family and friends with lightning-fast speed, share and collect information, and connect with people and companies thousands of miles from their computer (Roberts, Foehr, Rideout, & Brodie, 1999; Rosenbaum et al., 2000; Smith & Rupp, 2002). However, this growth of information technology has introduced a new form of criminality to the criminal justice system: cyber crime (Denning, 1998). The purpose of this research study is to investigate the prevalence of cyber criminality, specifically possession of child pornography, in law enforcement jurisdictions and the types of training which local and State law enforcement agencies currently offer to effectively combat these technological crimes.

Ensnared into Crime: A Preliminary Test of Moffitt's Snares Hypothesis in a National Sample of African Americans 1

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relation between alcohol use and individual differences in the desistance process from criminal behavior during young adulthood. This study used Moffitts (1993) “snares” hypothesis to posit that alcohol use would slow the desistance process of criminal behavior among African Americans. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of the Youth 1997, we conducted dual semiparametric group-based trajectory analysis of criminal behavior and alcohol use among African Americans from ages 16 through 22 (N = 283) using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of the Youth 1997. Results indicate that 3 trajectory groups provided the best representation for the patterns of crime over this period of life. In addition, 4 trajectory groups provided the best representation for the patterns of alcohol use. From our dual-trajectory analysis, we found that African Americans that were desisting slower from crime were using alcohol more often, thus supporting Moffitts snares hypothesis.

Becoming someone new: identity theft behaviors by high school students

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to contribute to the gap in the literature by investigating the identity theft behaviors of adolescents under the age of 18 and the predictors of these behaviors. To better understand the predictors of hacking behaviors in young people, two criminological theories, general theory of crime and social learning theory, are utilized. Design/methodology/approach – A rural county in western North Carolina was chosen to participate in the study. Principals of four high schools in this county agreed to participate. All 9th through 12th graders were recruited for the study. Those who were given parental permission to participate and gave their own assent were given a survey. Findings – Results indicated that low self-control and deviant peer association were in fact associated with identity theft behaviors of juveniles. Originality/value – The literature is scant, if even existent, on research that investigates the identity theft offending behaviors of juveniles.