Cyber-dependent crime is a growing global threat. However, research on cybercrime offending throughout the life course, especially on the factors leading to initiation and desistance of cyber-dependent crime remains underdeveloped. This paper synthesizes the literature on pathways into, desistance from, and risk factors related to cyber-dependent crime (hacking, malware, and DDoS attacks), and identifies research gaps. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we conducted a systematic search and identified 86 eligible documents published as of February 2022. Results reveal a pathway into hacking through interest in technology and online videogames, which continues with social learning from peers involved in hacking activities, and thus leads to the world of cybercrime. Desistance from this pathway is influenced by a cost-benefit analysis and maturing. We also identified 27 risk factors for the initiation process in cyber-offending that are consistent in the literature. The most significant ones were being young, male, having low self-control, deviant peers, and frequently using the Internet. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in [JOURNAL TITLE] on [date of publication], available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/[Article DOI
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Financial-economic cyber-enabled crime (hereinafter: financial cybercrime) has increased dramatically over the past years. However, research on financial cybercrime is still underdeveloped and highly heterogeneous, especially regarding the processes of initiation to and desistance from crime. This paper synthesizes existing knowledge on pathways into, desistance from, and risk factors related to financial cybercrime, and identifies research gaps. Adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we executed a systematic search and identified 37 eligible documents published as of February 2022, indicating two initiation points into financial cybercrime: involvement in traditional crime, and experiencing strain. Through social learning, individuals then learn the necessary skills and knowledge and engage in financial cybercrime, after which the decision to desist is influenced by a cost-benefit analysis, the use of neutralization techniques, and maturing. As for risk factors, we identified 33, with being male, unemployed, having low self-control and deviant peers, and wanting to earn money quickly being of potential importance. Regarding research gaps, there is a dearth of research related to the initiation and desistance processes of financial cybercrime, and the identified studies lacked a robust research designs, with 76 percent being of low or medium quality. More quality research is needed to address these issues.
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Hoofdstuk 6 in Werken in gewongen kader Jacqueline Bosker, Andrea Donker, Anneke Menger en Peter van der Laan 6.1 Inleiding 6.2 Desistance: daderkenmerken en contextuele invloeden bij de afbouw van delinquent gedrag 6.3 Beïnvloeden van afbouw van delinquent gedrag 6.4 Een geïntegreerde visie op de afbouw van delinquent gedrag
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In 2010, the Dutch Probation Service introduced a digital decision support system for case management plans, a so called fourth generation risk/needs assessment instrument. Does this system help probation officers in determining the appropriate interventions that should prevent recidivism for each individual client? And to what extent are the case management plans based on existing theories on desistance from crime? These are the central questions in the thesis of Jacqueline Bosker of the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht: ‘Linking Theory and Practice in Probation – Structured decision support for case management plans’. “Further development is still needed, but we can conclude that the use of digital decision support helps improve the quality of case management plans.” Bosker concluded in her research that this form of decision support enhances the quality of the case management plans. “In the most practical sense, it helps a probation officer not to overlook certain measures that might be applicable for the client considering the risks and needs. The plans also correspond better to the offenders’ goals and focus more on strengthening social bonds. Over the years, desistance from crime has been studied and researched. This knowledge should be used in practice. A decision support system helps linking theory and practice.”
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Online support communities are gaining attention among child-attracted persons (CAPs). Though research has largely focused on the negative consequences these environments create for potential offending, they may also provide a beneficial alternative to more formal treatment settings. To assess the utility for clinical and therapeutic purposes, this analysis focused on subcultural dynamics to examine self-reported wellbeing outcomes of participation in a Dutch forum for CAPs. A total of 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with moderators, members and mental health professionals involved in the community. Thematic analyses demonstrated that by means of informal social control, bonds of trust and social relational education, the network aims to regulate the behavior and enhance the wellbeing of its marginalized participants. Key outcomes include a decreased sense of loneliness and better coping with stigma, to the point that participants experience less suicidal thoughts. Association with prosocial peers also helps to set moral boundaries regarding behavior towards children, although we cannot fully rule out potential adverse influences. Online support networks offer a stepping stone to professional care that fits individual needs of CAPs, while also providing an informal environment that overcomes limitations of physical therapy and that extents principles of existing prevention and desistance approaches. Gepubliceerd door uitgever Sage: Bekkers, L. M. J., Leukfeldt, E. R., & Holt, T. J. (2024). Online Communities for Child-Attracted Persons as Informal Mental Health Care: Exploring Self-Reported Wellbeing Outcomes. Sexual Abuse, 36(2), 158-184. https://doi.org/10.1177/10790632231154882
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full text via link Hoofdstuk 5 van Samenleven is geen privézaak. Sociaal werk en actief burgerschap van Jef van Eijken, Hans van Ewijk en Harrie Staatsen Het verlagen van de hoge tot zeer hoge recidive van delinquenten (doorsnee 70%) blijkt een lastige opgave te zijn. Dit jaar (2009) verlaten ruim 35.000 volwassen personen een gevangenis. Van hen had ruim 80% al een strafrechtelijk verleden. In de komende twee jaar zal ruwweg de helft opnieuw voor een doorgaans ernstig misdrijf veroordeeld worden en opnieuw in de gevangenis terechtkomen. Men is dan ook naarstig op zoek naar effectieve programma’s om een wending te kunnen geven aan de criminele levenswandel waarin een groot deel van de delictplegers is verzeild geraakt. In deze bijdrage zullen de twee belangrijkste stromingen daarin kort beschreven worden. Een derde stroming (het wraparound-model) is een poging om de sterke punten van de eerste twee te combineren en daaraan nog iets toe te voegen, namelijk een sturingsmodel om de verschillende activiteiten die ondernomen moeten worden, in één geïntegreerd en geregisseerd aanbod te vertalen. Dit model wordt iets uitvoeriger beschreven. Tot slot wordt een gedachte-experiment uitgevoerd waarin beschreven wordt hoe het ‘reclasseren’ in Nederland eruit zou zien als de recidivebestrijding op dit model gebaseerd zou worden.
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Dit verhaal gaat over mijn pleegzoon (25 jaar). In formele zin is hij allang geen pleegkind meer, maar voor de anonimiteit is het handiger hem zo te noemen dan zijn naam prijs te geven. Ongeveer tegelijk met zijn eerste schreden op het pad van de criminaliteit ben ik me gaan verdiepen in literatuur over desistance from crime. Dat leidde soms tot wrange parallellen. Zoals die ene keer dat ik een presentatie over desistance voor mijn collega’s startte met een stukje uit een van zijn rapteksten: ‘Ik wou dat ik goed ging, goed loop| dat ik geen foute dingen doe, maar ik heb geen hoop.’ Later hoorde ik dat hij op hetzelfde tijdstip op het politiebureau verhoord werd wegens verdenking van diefstal. Niet alleen zijn hoop, maar ook mijn hoop is sindsdien soms met een lantaarntje te zoeken. Niettemin, de desistance-literatuur bemoedigt me. Het adagium in deze hoek is niet ‘eens een dief, altijd een dief’, maar geloven dat ieder mens de potentie heeft om fouten weer goed te maken en een ommekeer te maken naar een niet-delinquent leven. Hoe dat proces voor mijn pleegzoon in de afgelopen acht jaar is verlopen, schets ik hier in een notendop.
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The transition from adolescence to adulthood also has been described as a window of opportunity or vulnerability when developmental and contextual changes converge to support positive turnarounds and redirections (Masten, Long, Kuo, McCormick, & Desjardins, 2009; Masten, Obradović, & Burt, 2006). The transition years also are a criminological crossroads, as major changes in criminal careers often occur at these ages as well. For some who began their criminal careers during adolescence, offending continues and escalates; for others involvement in crime wanes; and yet others only begin serious involvement in crime at these ages. There are distinctive patterns of offending that emerge during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. One shows a rise of offending in adolescence and the persistence of high crime rates into adulthood; a second reflects the overall age-crime curve pattern of increasing offending in adolescence followed by decreases during the transition years; and the third group shows a late onset of offending relative to the age-crime curve. Developmental theories of offending ought to be able to explain these markedly different trajectories
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The increased use of instruments for assessing risks and needs in probation should lead to intervention plans that meet the criteria for effective practice. An analysis of 300 intervention plans from the Dutch probation service showed that the match between the assessed criminogenic needs and the goals and interventions in the intervention plan is fairly low. It was also found that the so-called risk principle is not fully applied by probation officers. In addition, personal goals that the offender values are often not taken fully into account. Finally, the intervention plans have a strong focus on improving human capital, while improving social capital and basic needs often is not part of the intervention plans, even if they were assessed as dynamic criminogenic needs.
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The Confederation of European Probation detects a clear need for a central record of training and qualification requirements, standards or curricula for probation and community supervision practitioners in EU Member States. Hogeschool Utrecht (UAS) has been commissioned to conduct a survey to collect an overview of qualification requirements and training of probation workers in order to set up a network to share knowledge, competencies and expertise among members’ states. The research question is: What kind of formation precedes the start of a career of a probation worker in the various EU Member states and how does it develop throughout his or her career? In order to answer this question, an online survey with closed and open questions has been send out among CEP members that provide or are responsible for probation services. Twenty of them filled out the questionnaire covering 18 different countries.
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