Theory and Crime: Does it Compute?

Abstract

This research examines computer fraud and hacking offenders. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of computer crimes that compromise data and financial security, particularly hacking and computer frauds. This understanding will allow us to organise what we know about computer crime, so that it can be understood and explained. Computer crime was identified as an area that required further research, particularly in relation to offenders, which are a hard to access population. Particularly, it was noted that it is not understood why people became involved in computer crime offending. There has been a lack of theoretical examination in relation to these types of offenders. The theories that are applied in this research include differential association, social control theory, techniques of neutralisation, rational choice theory, labelling theory and structural strain theory, as well as feminist critiques of criminology. This was identified as an important area for research as there are many problems with the current crime prevention approaches and in investigating these offences. Three qualitative studies were undertaken to address and provide an in-depth view of this problem. The first study involved an analysis of court documents for matters that had gone before the judiciary, while the second consisted of interviewing law enforcement officers who investigated these types of offenders. The third study involved interviewing active and former offenders, who were identified using snowball sampling techniques.