ABSTRACT
E-mail, instant messengers, chat rooms, and websites are just a few of the many tools available to facilitate communication over computer networks. E-mail provides users with an alternative to postal mail and the fax machine and can be used to send a myriad of communiquésincluding business contracts, office memos, and love letters-across the globe in seconds. Instant messenger programs enable real-time text communication and provide an alternative to the telephone. They can be used to send a quick greeting to an overseas friend or to keep parents in touch with children who are away at school. Like the local pub, the computer
Introduction 103 Criminogenic Considerations Concerning Online Communities 105 Method 107
Sampling 108 Measures 108
Communication and Participation Construct 110 Techniques of Neutralization Construct 111 Imitation Content Construct 111
Data Collection 112 Findings 113 Discussion and Conclusion 118 Acknowledgments 122 References 123
chat room can bring together prospective lovers or provide a meeting place for people to debate politics, sports, the arts, or any conceivable topic. Websites facilitate commerce by bringing together merchants with distant customers and allow for the easy distribution of information, such as the latest headlines or a novel on The New York Times bestseller list. Social networking websites remove psychological and geographic barriers to social relationships and link like-minded people from around the world.
