Abstract
Victimization from cybercrime has increased exponentially over the past decade. Frontline police officers are dealing with a variety of crimes different than those existing in an era before the advent of digital technology. Frontline officers are expected to encourage members of the public to report such crimes, to investigate them, as well as keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in this ever-changing landscape. This study explored the issues that frontline officers are dealing with on a daily basis when it comes to cybercrime. Sixteen frontline police officers took part in focus groups exploring key questions around aspects of cybercrime. The key themes discussed in this article include the difficulty of defining what is cybercrime, the contrast between the speed of developments in cybercrime and the speed of investigation, and the ineffectiveness of current training. The results are discussed in the context of a need for clearer training information to be delivered to all officers and staff who come into contact with aspects of cybercrime.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 34-43 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Policing-A journal of policy and practice |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 7 Nov 2018 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Mar 2021 |
Keywords
- cybercrime
- internet
- policing
- victims
- victimisation
Access to Document
- Hadlington_etal_P_A_Qualitative_Exploration_AAM
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Policing following peer review. The version of record Lee Hadlington, Karen Lumsden, Alexandra Black, Fenia Ferra, A Qualitative Exploration of Police Officers’ Experiences, Challenges, and Perceptions of Cybercrime, Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, Volume 15, Issue 1, March 2021, Pages 34–43 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paab011.