ABSTRACT
Previous chapters have considered the definition, theoretical context and trends in the perpetration of cybercrime. This chapter focuses on individual motivations of the perpetration of cybercrime through the lived experience of a small group of convicted cybercrime offenders. By gathering rich accounts from convicted cybercriminals who committed a range of offenses, this study, the first of its kind, attained a unique and retrospective insight into the human factor of cybercrime; one of the least understood and intractable factors that underlies online crime. Findings include a range of drivers and motivations behind cybercriminal perpetration. Findings echo the hazards afforded by invisibility and anonymity in online spheres. Participants recognised the widespread need for awareness raising campaigns, as well as the need for tech-related educational opportunities for young people who are curious and passionate about technology to learn and train safely. Participants suggested methods for intervention and prevention but also called for society and the tech industry to better protect online audiences from exposure to such easily accessible online harms.
