A Macro-Social Exploratory Analysis of the Rate of Interstate Cyber-Victimization

This study examines whether macro-level opportunity indicators affect cyber-theft victimization. Based on the arguments from criminal opportunity theory, exposure to risk is measured by state-level patterns of internet access (where users access the internet). Other structural characteristics of sta...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican journal of criminal justice Vol. 41; no. 3; pp. 583 - 601
Main Authors Song, Hyojong, Lynch, Michael J., Cochran, John K.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York Springer US 01.09.2016
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Criminology
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Cybercrime
Law and Criminology
Victimization
Cyber-theft victimization
Criminal opportunity theory
Household activity
Macro-level crime analysis
Cybercrime
State-level analysis
Online routine activity
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:This study examines whether macro-level opportunity indicators affect cyber-theft victimization. Based on the arguments from criminal opportunity theory, exposure to risk is measured by state-level patterns of internet access (where users access the internet). Other structural characteristics of states were measured to determine if variation in social structure impacted cyber-victimization across states. The current study found that structural conditions such as unemployment and non-urban population are associated with where users access the internet. Also, this study found that the proportion of users who access the internet only at home was positively associated with state-level counts of cyber-theft victimization. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
ISSN:1066-2316
1936-1351
DOI:10.1007/s12103-015-9308-4