Term of Award

Spring 2024

Degree Name

Master of Science, Criminal Justice and Criminology

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology

Committee Chair

Adam Bossler

Committee Member 1

Cassandra Dodge

Committee Member 2

Logan Somers

Abstract

In this digital era, cybercrime victimization has emerged as a significant issue, with identity theft being one of the most prevalent forms. This study examines the relationship between online routine behaviors, guardianship, demographics, and identity theft victimization in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults utilizing routine activities theory (RAT) as a conceptual

framework. The research applies statistical methods such as descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and logistic regression models to examine theoretically oriented hypotheses. The

hypotheses suggest connections between different online habitual behaviors, steps taken to

protect oneself, demographic characteristics, and the extent to which one has been a victim of

identity theft. The study emphasizes the need of using the Routine Activities

Theory (RAT) as a framework to analyze cybercrime victimization. It also emphasizes the

necessity of developing specific solutions based on empirical research. The study acknowledges limitations, such as the use of a cross-sectional design and the representativeness of the sample.

It highlights the need for future research to include longitudinal data and more precise measuring methods. In summary, this study adds to the ongoing discussion on cybercrime victimization and

provides insights for developing preventative and intervention methods to safeguard persons from identity theft in the digital world.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

No

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