Factors that shape cybercrime victimisation and use of prevention measures in England and Wales

Cyberspace in general, and cybercrime in particular, are relatively new phenomena. As technological progress continues, the internet develops with it. In today’s society, the majority of people are exposed to the cyberspace in the form of the internet and, subsequently, are potential victims of cybercrime. With this prevalence of the internet in people’s everyday life, the issue of cybercrime should be acknowledged, addressed and explored more than ever.

The aim of this study is to explore current trends of cyberspace and crime committed within the internet environment. In particular, this research project aims to explore factors that shape victimisation and the use of prevention measures in cyberspace, with specific reference to extent to which people become victims of cybercrime and, moreover, use prevention measures to prevent such crimes in a cyber environment.

The issue described above is explored by conducting quantitative research analysing the general crime survey ‘Crime Survey for England and Wales’ (CSEW) on the matter of the internet and cybercrime. Exploratory analyses begin with descriptive statistics in order to review the current situation in cyberspace, followed by t-tests and regression analyses with the purpose to explore factors that might have an effect on cybercrime victimisation and the use of prevention measures in cyberspace. The results show that age is a relevant and significant factor when exploring both victimisation and the use of prevention measures in cyberspace.

On these grounds, it is recommended to consider age groups when developing cybercrime prevention strategies as well as for a further research project studying cybercrime victimisation rates. Additionally, it would be beneficial to explore how factors such as: the level of cybercrime ‘worry’; cybercrime awareness and its relation to a number of prevention measures used; how often the internet is used; and income level; relate to victimisation and the use of prevention measures in cyberspace.