Perception of Cyber Crime in Slovenia
Purpose:
The purpose of this article is to present the results of the pilot research regarding the perception of cybercrime in Slovenia.
Design/Methods/Approach:
The study focused on the research of the perception of cybercrime among the general public, as well as the members of the law enforcement agencies.
Findings:
The development of information and communication technologies critically influences all aspects of our lives, and consequently the characteristics of crime have adapted to the new form of operation in the virtual world. Cybercrime is the new way of breaking the law, and in order to implement successful preventive strategies it is of crucial importance to understand the perception of the general public, as well as the perception of the members of law enforcement agencies regarding cybercrime. The pilot study was performed on a smaller group of individuals (approximately half were the representatives of the general public, while the rest were the representatives of law enforcement agencies) in the form of in-depth interviews. The findings of the pilot research were alarming, since the majority of the interviewees greatly differentiate between certain forms of crime performed in the cyberspace as opposed to the same form of crime performed in real life i.e. the act of stealing, piracy in particular, is unacceptable in the real world and at the same time only natural in the virtual world. Furthermore, the pilot research displayed serious lack of awareness regarding different forms of cybercrime among the general public, as well as the members of law enforcement agencies, and consequently also poor understanding of legislation pertinent to cybercrime. Based on the results of the pilot research it is evident that it is of crucial importance to raise the awareness and understanding among the general public and increase the knowledge of the members of law enforcement agencies regarding cybercrime and its consequences in our everyday life.
Research limitations/implications:
The results are not generalizable due to the small group of interviewees. Consequently, future research will include a larger group of interviewees and will combine both in-depth interviews as well as questionnaires.
Practical implications:
The article represents a useful source of information for individuals working in this field as well as the general public. Furthermore, it represents the basis for further research of the field.
Originality/Value:
The article deals with the issue of the perception of cybercrime in Slovenia and exposes the critical issues related to the difference in the perception of a similar act of crime in the real life as opposed to the virtual world.
UDC: 343.3/.7:004(497.4)
Keywords: computer-related crime, cybercrime, information and communication technologies, Slovenia