Pathways Into, Desistance From, and Risk Factors Related to Cyber-Dependent Crime: A Systematic Narrative Review

ABSTRACT

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.

KEYWORDS:

• Systematic narrative review
• PRISMA
• pathways
• desistance
• risk factors
• cyber-dependent crime

Acknowledgments

All authors substantially contribution to the study conception and design. The idea for the article was developed by Asier Moneva and Rutger Leukfeldt. Joeri Loggen was responsible for writing the first draft of the protocol, literature search, data extraction and analysis, and writing the first draft of the manuscript. Asier Moneva was involved in supervision, and revision of the protocol and manuscript. Rutger Leukfeldt was responsible for supervision and revising the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The goal of a systematic narrative review is to describe a phenomenon in a narrative way (Petticrew & Roberts, 2006), in order to draw valid and broad conclusions, and identify research gaps (Siddaway et al., 2019).

2. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/PVFHT

3. We defined the score intervals for each category based on a percentage version of the ranges defined by Hawker and colleagues (2002). For example, the authors use the 24–29 interval to classify records as “medium quality,” which corresponds to a 53–74% of the achievable rating. In the same vein, we classified records as “medium quality” when they scored between the 58–75% interval of the achievable rating.

4. A total of seven non-systematic literature reviews were included in this systematic review. The reviews do not specify which studies are included.