Different cyber-crimes are a global threat in the modern world since the world relies heavily on the social life. The increase in the utilisation of the modern technology makes the organisational systems prone to cyber-attacks by hackers and non-digital criminals. Various research findings developed by different researchers reveal that there are different crimes best explained by several theories. Among the theories that explain the global rise cases of digital crime cases is the routine activities theory. Despite explaining digital crimes, the routine theory explains non-digital crimes. Another major theory that explains the occurrences of digital crimes is the Lifestyle exposure theory. There are also theories that focus their attention mostly on non-digital offences such as the anomie theory. This paper explains the contribution of both digital and non-digital theories in explaining cyber-crimes.
Main Theories of Digital Crime
The selected theories that discuss the causes of digital crimes and crime, in general, are routines activities theory and the lifestyle exposure theories. Accordingly, the routine activities theory and the lifestyles exposure theories possess a direct connection with the main causatives of crime. According to various researchers, the routine activities theory proves to be the principal theory in explaining the causes of both the digital and non-digital crimes. Moreover, the researchers argue that the Routine activities theory is an advancement of the Lifestyle exposure theory though both methods are different (Vakhitova, Reynald & Townsley, 2016). The routines activities theory and lifestyle exposure theories occur due to various reasons. The theories of digital crimes majorly focus on victims of white-collar jobs who use the new technology during their occupation. However, the criminal justice works hard to catch up with the offenders of digital crimes who face several penalties in court. The hackers and other cyber criminals use advanced technological tools to exercise their malicious acts. The criminals create brilliant plans to identify the potential victims basing their search on vulnerability factors. The criminals base their attacks on insecure premises for example where there are no internet security protocols and personnel.
Routine Activities Theory
The routine activities theory explains that the causes of crimes targeting organisations and individuals target the day-to-day operations of the people in the community (Marcum, 2009). The day-to-day routine of the people includes their occupational areas, their avenues of travel, their channels of communication, and the groups they involve themselves. These aspects contribute to the explanation of the place where the digital and cyber-crimes occur and the category of victims targeted. Also, the routine activities theory explains the existing opportunities that make it possible for the occurrence of cyber-crimes, for example, the possibility of digital crimes at this moment depends on time and space of event. The routine activities theory helps to explain the alterations that occur in the type of digital crimes as time changes. The routine activities theory works together with the environmental principles.
Lifestyle exposure theory
The Lifestyle exposure theory explains that different lifestyles of different people influence their likelihood of them becoming probable targets of cyber-crimes. From a victim's perspective, the Lifestyle exposure theory measures the likelihood of the vulnerability of different people depending on their styles of life (Vakhitova, Reynald & Townsley, 2016). The Lifestyle exposure theory explains that the lifestyles of online users significantly contribute to the fact that they become probable targets of crime if they do not observe online ethics. Different practices such as the regular visiting of unrecognised websites by various users contribute to their vulnerability since the majority of the cyber criminals such as hackers target the vulnerable online users. The Lifestyle exposure theory focuses on different people depending on their lifestyles, for example, they majorly focus their attacks on music and video websites where most of the youths visit regularly. Most of the people have their lifestyles centred on the entertainment industry hence such people are potential victims. The Lifestyle exposure theory explains that the criminals target individual victims. The theory explains that the various lifestyles contribute to victimisation.
Differential Association Theory
Another theory that explains the occurrence of digital crimes such as hacking, white-collar crimes, and espionage is the differential association theory. Edwin Sutherland developed the differential association theory to explain that the different behaviour of people involved. The differential association theory explains ones' surrounding affects the changes in his or her response (Flores, 2006). In the case of digital crimes, the criminals of digital crime provide online users with a favourable and user-friendly interface forcing people to think that the interfaces are completely secure for use. For instance, the criminals create various websites such as dating sites where users provide their personal details increasing their vulnerability to cyber-crimes. The differential association theory also explains that the interaction between criminals contributes to the occurrence of crimes such as drug and substance trafficking. For example, robbers planning to rob a bank have first to congregate in places where they interact to help them carry out their crimes.
Conclusion
Cybercrimes are a significant global threat in the era of advanced technology. The digital crimes are lethal in that they can affect anyone regardless of their status or their geographical locations. Various factors contribute to the occurrence of cybercrimes as explained by the theories of crimes. Different methods account for the occurrence of various crimes globally. Various theories such as the routine activities theory and the Lifestyle exposure theory explain in detail the causes of digital offences in the modern era of advanced technology. Other theories such as the differential association theory explain the causes of both the digital and non-digital crimes basing its facts on the environmental factors.
References
Flores, G. (2006). An empirical test of self-control theory and differential association theory to explain binge drinking at a southwestern university.
Marcum, C. D. (2009). Adolescent Online Victimization: A Test of Routine Activities Theory. El Paso: LFB Scholarly Pub. LLC.
Vakhitova, Z. I., Reynald, D. M., & Townsley, M. (2016). Toward the Adaptation of Routine Activity and Lifestyle Exposure Theories to Account for Cyber Abuse Victimization. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 32(2), 169-188.
