How does cyber technology impact interactions between offenders and victims?

Over the past two decades, the use of cyber technology has significantly increased. Cyber technology has incorporated itself into every aspect of every day life with many different types of users. These users include people of all ages and social statuses. In a lot of current research, it is found that there has been a significant increase in the use of technology, specifically the use of social media and different online interactions. With this increase, research has shown that, “references are being made to Bandura’s social learning theory, which describes how people observe external social forces and do things that they would not otherwise do by imitating others’ behavior” (Lewis, 2011). This is extremely important to pay attention to because it can explain why some people become cyber offenders. Different cyber technology and the Internet in itself has become a platform for cybercrime. Compared to traditional crime, it is easier to commit cybercrimes due to the offender not having to be physically present a lot of the time. With the risk of the Dark Web, there are many different forums that people share their stories of different instances of cybercrime. When looking through a social science lens, offenders feel more comfortable when they find others that do the same thing as them. These offenders can also learn from one another and possibly improve their cybercrime tactics. While I have discussed a lot towards the offenders, it all affects the victims. According to the Neutralization Theory, many offenders will try to rationalize their behavior towards victims. An example of this is denial of victim or responsibility meaning that the offenders justify their behavior towards the victim for numerous amounts of reasons. Cyber technology has increased instances such as this because it is easier for someone to say they aren’t responsible when they never saw the victim or the reactions from the victim. While these are traditional theories, few have actually focused their studies on specifically on technology influences criminal or victim behavior. It is being explored more now, but more research is definitely needed to see how cyber technology influences behaviors of both the offender and the victim.

References:

Lewis, S., & Lewis, D. A. 2011. Digitalizing Crime Prevention Theories: How Technology Affects Victim and Offender Behavior. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjVneLi6Kn-AhVqEFkFHc2tDnUQFnoECCkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fijcst.journals.yorku.ca%2Findex.php%2Fijcst%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F34404%2F31281%2F0&usg=AOvVaw1YlTWkcYYN5GuIDjCiBXuN