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Crime from the keyboard: organised cybercrime, co-offending, initiation and knowledge transmission

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Abstract

This paper examines a predominantly Australian sample of computer crime offenders involved in fraud and/or unauthorised access. This paper focuses on the extent to which offenders are involved in organised crime, the nature of the relationship between co-offending, initiation and knowledge transmission, and how the online environment facilitates organised crime and co-offending. This qualitative analysis draws from interviews with self-identified offenders, law enforcement officers who investigate these offenses, and court documents, providing a unique understanding of organised crime involving computer systems.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to thank those who participated in this study and the assistance provided by the Australian Federal Police, the Queensland Police Service, Western Australia Police, and Victoria Police. I also appreciate the support of my supervisors, Dr Hennessey Hayes, Associate Professor Janet Ransley, Professor Simon Bronitt, and Professor Peter Grabosky, and acknowledge the assistance of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security at Griffith University in undertaking my doctorate.

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  1. University of Cambridge, Computer Laboratory, William Gates Building, 15 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 0FD, UK

    Alice Hutchings

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  1. Alice Hutchings
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Correspondence to Alice Hutchings.

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Hutchings, A. Crime from the keyboard: organised cybercrime, co-offending, initiation and knowledge transmission. Crime Law Soc Change 62, 1–20 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-014-9520-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10611-014-9520-z

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