NCJ Number
232758
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 35 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2010 Pages: 412-437
Date Published
December 2010
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This study used routine activity theory to examine the differences in online victimization between male and female high school seniors and college freshman.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in online victimization between genders, through variables representing the three constructs of routine activity theory. A survey was administered to 100-level courses at a mid-sized university in the Northeast, which questioned respondents on their Internet behaviors and experiences during the high school senior and college freshman time period. The findings of the study indicated that participating in behaviors that increased exposure to motivated offenders and target suitability in turn increased the likelihood of victimization for both genders. Conversely, taking protective measures to improve capable guardianship was shown to be the least effective measure, as it did not decrease the likelihood of victimization. This research provides a significant contribution to the literature as there are few explanatory studies that attempt to identify causal reasoning for this behavior. Tables and references (Published Abstract)