Cyber technology is another domain in which criminals can access victims. Because a crime happens in the cyber domain instead of the physical domain does not necessarily impact severity. There have been incidents resulting in loss of human life because of a cyber-attack, but more commonly the cyber domain can be used to exploit someone without ever making physical contact.

At the individual and non-commercial level, the most vulnerable victims tend to be at either end of the age spectrum. Especially young people tend to not understand the threat well enough and can unintentionally expose themselves to predators and criminals willing to take advantage of naivety. The elderly who did not grow up around cyber technology or regularly integrate with it during their professional lives, are also susceptible to criminals but typically for fraud and theft reasons.

The rest of us are equally at risk but I would argue that the threat is typically more professionalized and more sophisticated. Cyber technology represents are relatively new threat landscape that our general population does not understand. Furthermore, our criminal justice system is not as successful at identifying and proving that a crime has taken place. I think the result is that not as much justice for the victims or offender provided restoration is likely following a cybercrime versus a physical crime.

Criminals are afforded certain advantages by leveraging cyber technology. Inherently by interacting over a cyber network there is an element of de-personalizing the situation. While a physical interaction involves many verbal and non-verbal cues, the cyber interaction does not. I believe that while most cyber criminals or criminals using cyber technology know what they are doing is wrong, because it is somewhat impersonal that it makes it easier psychologically to carry out the act. Cyber technology also affords the possibility of choosing victims across space, time, and jurisdictions that may embolden and further depersonalize the crime.