Cybercrime technology Essay Example for Free

Cybercrime technology EssayPeople rationally choose to inscribe in criminal actsin order to outride these acts from occurring people need to know that consequences will outweigh the benefits. If people believe that the consequences outweigh the benefits t hen they will freely choose not to participate in the criminal behavior.On the other hand the positive school of criminology believes that individuals participate in crime because of forces beyond individual control and relies on the scientific method to prove its theories (Cullen Agnew, 2006).Individuals should notbe held solely responsible for their actions because not every maven is rational. Outside factors can play an important part in ascertain ones participation in crime. Now that we have exami ned the two most dominant schools of criminological opening we can examine how two theories, egotism control and routine activity, have been applied to the study of cybercrime and cybercrime victimization. egotismControlTheoryO ne general crime theory that has been applied to the study of cybercrime is ego control theory. Selfcontrol theory was first proposed by Travis Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson in their 1990 publicationA global Theory of Crime. Selfcontrol theory believes that criminal motivation is rampant, but that people act on this motivation only when they birth low selfcontrol (Cullen Agnew, 2006). This paper will hold forth the basic elements of selfcontrol theory, as well as research that has provided eviden ce to support the validity of this theory. Then this section will review semiempirical studies that have applied selfcontroltheoryto the study of cybercrime and cyber victimizationand will discuss the benefitsof applying this theory to the study of cybercrime.Cybercrime28In their book,A General Theory of Crime, Travis Hirschi and MichaelGottfredson describe the major characteristics that define individuals with and without selfcontrol (1990). Individuals with low selfcontrolareimpul sive, insensitive,physical (as distant to mental), risktaking, short sighted, and nonverbal, and they will tend therefore to engage in criminal and analogous acts. (Hirschi Gottfredson, 1990)People with characteristics of low selfcontrol may be much likely to participate indeviant acts because they want immediate gratification. As compared to individuals who lack selfcontrol, individuals with selfcontrol are able to delay immediate gratification and are more likely to be vigilant, emotional, verbal, and long term orientated (Hirschi Gottfredson, 1990). Individuals who cause characteristics of self control may be wear able to appreciate the consequences of participating in deviant acts and have the controlnecessary to delay their gratification. In conclusion, those who lack selfcontrol are more likely to possess characteristics such as impulsivity and shortsightedness, that makecrime and its immediate gratification more attractive to them, as compared to those who possess chara cteristics of high selfcontrol such as being cautious and longterm orientated. This brings up an important question, does an individuals level of self control develop over time or is someone born with one level of selfcontrol that remains the same through with(predicate)out his or her lifetime. According to Hirschi and Gottfredson individuals arenotborn with one certain level of selfcontrol, rather they learn selfcontrol most lots through their parents (Hirschi Gottfredson, 1990). An individual does nothave only onelevel of selfcontrol, as they grow older they may develop a different level of self control then when they were younger. However, they do signify that, individual Cybercrime29differences may have an impact on the prospects for effective socialising ( Hirschi Gottfredson, 1990). For example, individuals with mental health problems may have a higher probability of not being effectively socialized. The authors believed that self control is learned through life, but espec ially while you are a child. The authors also addressed why some individuals possess characteristics of self control. They suggest that individuals develop characteristics of self control as a result of their upbringing (Hirschi Gottfredson, 1990). While parents do not intentionallyteach their childrento not haveselfcontrol, the authorssuggest that in order to teach the child selfcontrol, someone must (1) monitor the childs behavior (2) recognize deviant behavior when it occurs and (3) revenge such behaviorall that is required to activat e the system is affection for or investment in the child. (Hirschi Gottfredson, 1990)They suggest that a deficiency in any one of these categories will inadvertently allow the child to develop characteristics of low selfcontrol (Hirschi Gottfredson, 1990). Characteristics of low selfcontrol can be the result of uneffective parenting. Low self control makes crime more attractive to individuals who possess learned characteristics such as impulsiv ity and lack of responsibility. Good parenting is important in developing individuals who possess high levels of selfcontrol, however good parenting can only occur if parents care about their children and are able to monitor, recognize, and effectively punish their children for deviant behavior.Selfcontrol theoryhas been the subject of many empirical studies, which have attempted to test the validity of the theory in explaining crime (Pratt Cullen 2000Pratt, food turner Piquero 2004 Perrone, Sullivan, Pratt, Margaryan 2004 Turner, Piquero, Pratt 2005 Reisig Pratt 2011 Deng Zheng 1998). In 2000, Pratt and