The Human beneath the Hoodie: Profiling pathways into cybercrime

Podcast: Cybercrimeology · Cybercrimeology

Opublikowano: 2025-12-01

otes: Melissa completed her PhD after two decades of operational work, bringing a pracademic perspective to cyber profiling and offender pathways. Her research focuses on understanding the human behind the keyboard through developmental history, motivation and lived experience. Initial motivations among hackers often centre on curiosity, challenge seeking and belonging rather than financial gain. Many participants reported early interest in technology, solitary online activity and experiences they described as destabilising events. Melissa distinguishes between lawful and criminal pathways using indicators such as modifying games, low self-control and a history...