Digital displacement of youth offending: scoping and understanding the issue
Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice
ISSN: 2056-3841
Article publication date: 15 June 2022
Issue publication date: 25 October 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Global evidence suggests that youth offending has reduced; however, this study aims to suggest a more complex picture, with youth crime potentially being displaced to the digital space. Historically, young people and crime have been synonymous with public spaces and being visible. A shift or expansion to online offending requires revision of how the justice and educational systems respond to youth offending.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review explored keywords related to age, digital offence or harm and criminal or harmful nature, using a search, appraisal, synthesis and analysis framework.
Findings
Three emergent areas of digital youth crime are discussed: digitally assisted crime, digitally dependent crime and digital harm.
Practical implications
The shift in youth offending requires response adjustment from prevention to detection. Opportunities may exist to disrupt or redirect youth before they offend. Further data specific to digital offending is needed. These findings seek to provide a possible direction for future research.
Originality/value
The concept of digital displacement of youth offending is progressively emerging. This paper examines types of offending categorised into three areas of interest.
Keywords
Citation
McCord, A., Birch, P. and Bizo, L.A. (2022), "Digital displacement of youth offending: scoping and understanding the issue", Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, Vol. 8 No. 4, pp. 243-259. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-03-2022-0014
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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