AN EXAMINATION OF THE FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDENTS INVOLVEMENT IN CYBER CRIMES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Crime seems to be an unavoidable aspect of modern civilization. Despite the best efforts of social workers, law enforcement, and personal and criminal justice experts, the world is becoming a more dangerous place (Yar, 2005). Where homicide, abduction, robbery, assault, sex offenses, child molestation, burglary, environmental crime, and arson are crimes without a victim, economic crime, political crime, and cybercrime are the norm. According to Wall (2005), Cybercrime is defined as computer-aided crime done by Nigerians stationed outside the Nigerian internet domain space or computer-aided crime perpetrated by Nigerians originating in the Nigerian internet domain area. Collaboration with Nigerians inside the Nigerian internet domain area and crimes targeting information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure in Nigeria, from any location (Walters, 1995). Cybercrime has emerged as a major worry in the international society. Because the world is becoming more reliant on internet transactions, everyone is increasingly vulnerable. Earlier ideas were weaved around the Western world's vulnerability, as proposed by Walters, (1995), Yar (2005), and Wall, (2005), but the development of the Internet has put more nations in jeopardy. Unfortunately, like with many things, the more technologies there are, the more detrimental they may be when misused or with malevolent purpose, as in the case of the internet, putting your privacy, files, identity, and valuable bandwidth at danger. Cyber terrorism, theft and fraudulent use of personal information—the cybercrime of the moment—desktop counterfeiting, chat rooms, credit card crimes, automated teller machine (ATM), and spoofing, open relay server are some of these cybercrimes (UNICEF 2011). The recent implementation of cashless transactions in Nigeria has also placed the country in jeopardy. Some of the factors that lure youths into cyber crimes include greed and poverty. Greed is another destructive wind in Nigeria that drives individuals to engage in illegal activities since many people desire to get rich quickly by any means possible.

Because some parents have little to offer in terms of values, poor parenting has contributed to criminality. A youngster from such a household learns anything he or she wants outside the home through peer groups, which might be harmful. Seventy-one percent of Nigerian families are poor, with the other half classed as core poor or extremely poor. Approximately 77 percent of urban families and 68 percent of rural families are deemed poor (UNICEF 2011).

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The Internet is presently used as a haven for fraudsters who have simply moved from the streets to an electronic platform provided by the World Wide Web. Thomas, (2005) observed that Cybercrime is elusive and always tries to hide in the face of progress. As methods and procedures for identifying crimes and criminals improve, crooks seek ways to avoid detection.

 Depending on the nature and scope of the crime, different countries have used different ways to combat it. Certainly, a country with a high crime rate cannot thrive or prosper. This is due to the fact that crime is the polar opposite of growth. It has a detrimental social and economic impact (Thomas, 2005). For Nigeria, a country in the process of regaining its face in the face of cybercrime, efforts are now being aimed at the sources and channels through which cybercrime is conducted, with Internet access points being the most popular (Williams, 2005).

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This study primarily seeks to examine the factors responsible for students involvement in cyber crimes. Other objectives of the study are:

i.          To find out the different forms of cyber crimes.

ii.        To find out the causes of students involvement in cyber crimes.

iii.      To examine the effects of cyber crimes on students academic performance

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will guide this study

i.          What are the different forms of cyber crimes?

ii.        What are the causes of students involvement in cyber crimes?

iii.      Does cybercrimes affect students academic performance?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of great benefit to the educational sector as the findings of this study will show the effects factors, forms and effects of cyber crimes on students. It will help them formulate policies that will effectively address this issue. This study will also be beneficial to parents and caregivers as they will carefully counsel their wards on how to avoid these factors.

Finally, this study will be beneficial to scholars as it will serve as an existing material for further studies and future reference.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will be focusing on the examination of the factors responsible for students involvement in cyber crimes. It will also be focused on the forms of cyber crimes, the effects and the causes.

This study will be using students of University of Lagos, Akoka as enrolled participants for this study.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study will be limited to the examination of the factors responsible for students involvement in cyber crimes. It will also be limited to the forms of cyber crimes, the effects and the causes.

This study will also be limited to University of Lagos, Akoka and as such the results cannot be used anywhere else before further research is carried out.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Examinnation: a detailed inspection or study

Factors: a circumstance, fact, or influence that contributes to a result.

Cyber crimes: the use of a computer as an instrument to further illegal ends

REFERENCES

Thomas, J. 2005. The moral ambiguity of social control in cyber-space. New Media and Society. 7: 599-624.

UNICEF 2011. The state of the world’s children 2011: adolescence an age of opportunity. New York: UNICEF.

Wall, D. 2005. The Internet as a conduit for criminals. A. Pattavina. Ed. Information Technology and the Criminal Justice System. London: Sage.

Walters, M. 1995. Globalisation. London: Routledge.

Williams, M. 2005. Cybercrime. J. Miller. Ed. Encyclopaedia of Criminology. London: Sage.

Yar, M. 2005. The novelty of cybercrime: an assessment in light of routine activity theory. European Journal of Criminology. 2:407-427

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