Digital life and crime trends in the global south: On the impact of increased Internet use on opportunities for crime

• Braulio Figueiredo Alves Silva ^[1] ; Fernando Miro-Llinares ^[2]
  1. [1] Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

     Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais

     Brasil

     
  2. [2] Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche

     Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche

     Elche, España

     
• Localización: Revista Española de Investigación Criminológica: REIC, ISSN-e 1696-9219, Vol. 22, Nº. Extra 2, 2024 (Ejemplar dedicado a: TIC y Criminalidad)
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
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• Resumen

  • This study addresses a gap in the literature about crime trends by exploring how increased Internet usage and the digitalization process fundamentally reshape criminal opportunities. We analyse the relationship between human agency and social structure, demonstrating how the “virtual world” alters social habits in a manner that creates a fertile ground for cybercrime. Multilevel Linear Modelling (MLM) was employed to estimate participation in Property Damage Crime (PDC) based on individual typologies. Additionally, we extend our analysis to account for seasonal patterns and forecast trends through the Holt-Winters (HW) method, considering the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Findings show that the adoption of digital technologies has transformed social interactions and criminal behaviour, reducing participation in street crimes while increasing exposure to online offenses, especially among teenagers. The results also revealed that variability in the trajectory of crime participation is explained by individual typology and Internet access. Moreover, cybercrimes significantly increased after March 2020 compared to violent crimes. These emerging patterns and trends underscore the need for specialized law enforcement agencies to address cybercrimes and online threats, and to promote prevention and education strategies.