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Cyber-Crime in Scotland: a Review of the Evidence

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Cyber-Crime in Scotland: a Review of the Evidence Cyber-crime in Scotland: A Review of the Evidence CRIME AND JUSTICE social research Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................ 5 Purpose ................................................................................................................. 5 What is cyber-crime? ............................................................................................. 5 Context - Internet use in Scotland ......................................................................... 6 Key findings- Crimes affecting individuals ............................................................. 6 Non-sexual crimes of violence ........................................................................... 6 Sexual crimes .................................................................................................... 6 Fraud ................................................................................................................. 7 Computer misuse ............................................................................................... 8 Other crimes ...................................................................................................... 8 Miscellaneous Offences ..................................................................................... 8 Key findings- crimes affecting businesses ............................................................. 9 Fraud ................................................................................................................. 9 Computer misuse ............................................................................................. 10 Conclusions ......................................................................................................... 10 Next steps ............................................................................................................ 12 1. Introduction .................................................................................................... 13 Background .......................................................................................................... 13 Aims of this evidence review ............................................................................... 14 Structure of this evidence review ......................................................................... 14 Recorded crime groupings .................................................................................. 14 What is cyber-crime? ........................................................................................... 16 2. Cyber-crime as it impacts on individuals .................................................... 17 Main sources of evidence .................................................................................... 17 Context ................................................................................................................ 21 Internet use ...................................................................................................... 21 Security measures ........................................................................................... 21 Group 1 – Non-sexual crimes of violence ............................................................ 22 Violent crime .................................................................................................... 22 Future evidence on violent crime ..................................................................... 23 Threats and Extortion ...................................................................................... 23 Group 2 – Sexual crimes ..................................................................................... 25 Sexual crimes .................................................................................................. 25 Online sexual crimes ....................................................................................... 26 1 Online ‘other sexual crimes’ ............................................................................. 27 Victims and perpetrators of online ‘other sexual crimes’ ................................. 27 Online child sexual offences ............................................................................ 28 Reporting of online sexual crimes.................................................................... 29 Future evidence on sexual crime ..................................................................... 30 Group 3 – Crimes of dishonesty .......................................................................... 31 Fraud (as a whole) ........................................................................................... 31 Online fraud ..................................................................................................... 33 Impacts of fraud ............................................................................................... 34 Victims of fraud ................................................................................................ 35 Reporting of fraud ............................................................................................ 36 Future evidence on fraud ................................................................................. 36 Group 4 – Fire-raising, vandalism etc. ................................................................. 38 Computer misuse ............................................................................................. 38 Victims and impacts of computer misuse ........................................................ 41 Reporting of computer misuse ......................................................................... 41 Future evidence on computer misuse ............................................................. 42 Group 5 – Other crimes ....................................................................................... 43 Sale of drugs online ......................................................................................... 43 Future evidence on the sale of drugs online .................................................... 44 Crimes against public justice ........................................................................... 44 Group 6 – Miscellaneous offences ...................................................................... 45 Threatening and abusive behaviour ................................................................ 45 Stalking and harassment ................................................................................. 46 Cyber-bullying .................................................................................................. 47 Future evidence on cyber-bullying ................................................................... 48 3. Cyber-crime as it impacts on businesses ................................................... 49 Main sources of evidence .................................................................................... 49 Context ................................................................................................................ 52 Internet use ...................................................................................................... 52 Research challenges ....................................................................................... 53 Group 3 – Crimes of dishonesty .......................................................................... 54 Fraud as a whole ............................................................................................. 54 Online fraud ..................................................................................................... 55 Costs of online fraud ........................................................................................ 56 2 Future evidence – Online fraud ....................................................................... 57 Group 4- Fire-raising, vandalism etc. .................................................................. 58 Computer misuse ............................................................................................. 58 Incidents of computer misuse .......................................................................... 59 Victimisation of computer misuse .................................................................... 60 Outcomes and impacts of computer misuse ................................................... 60 Costs of computer misuse ............................................................................... 61 Reporting of computer misuse ......................................................................... 61 Future evidence on computer misuse ............................................................. 62 4. Cyber-crime Offenders .................................................................................. 63 5. Conclusions and next steps ......................................................................... 64 Conclusions ......................................................................................................... 64 Next steps ............................................................................................................ 65 6. Glossary ......................................................................................................... 67 7. Bibliography ................................................................................................... 70 3 4 Executive Summary Purpose This desk-based review aims to contribute to the evidence base and aid understanding of
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