Abstract
This chapter investigates the use of educational workshops in preventing crime. This type of intervention brings together groups of individuals deemed at risk of offending to educate them about the consequences of crime, or to promote positive behaviours and skills that reduce the likelihood of committing crime. Though educational workshops vary widely in terms of theory and content, most commonly they rely on social-cognitive theories of learning. School-based workshops have been applied extensively to combat illicit drug use, gang involvement, and general delinquency with varying success—some with positive effects, and some with negative effects. We conclude that workshops can be an effective way to reduce crime, but this depends greatly on the content and style of workshop deployed. However, to date, this strategy has not been widely utilised to deal with cybercrime; consequently, there is virtually no research on the success (or otherwise) of this strategy. We discuss the applicability of workshops in this space, explicating the features that would likely increase the success of this intervention in reducing cybercrime.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Agabio, R., Trincas, G., Floris, F., Mura, G., Sancassiani, F., & Angermeyer, M. C. (2015). A systematic review of school-based alcohol and other drug prevention programs. Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health, 11, 102–112. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1465-3362.2012.00517.x.
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T.
Akers, R. L. (1990). Rational choice, deterrence, and social learning theory in criminology: The path not taken. The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 81, 653–676.
Bandura, A. (1971). Social learning theory. New York, NY: General Learning.
Bonta, J., & Andrews, D. A. (2017). The psychology of criminal conduct (6th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
Bossler, A. M., & Burruss, G. W. (2011). The general theory of crime and computer hacking: Low self-control hackers? In T. J. Holt & B. H. Schell (Eds.), Corporate hacking and technology-driven crime: Social dynamics and implications (pp. 38–67). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/9781616928056.ch003.
Botvin, G. J., & Griffin, K. W. (2004). Life skills training: Empirical findings and future directions. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 25(2), 211–232. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOPP.0000042391.58573.5b.
Chibnall, S., Wallace, M., Leicht, C., & Lunghofer, L. (2006). I-SAFE evaluation: Final report. Fairfax, VA: Caliber.
Cho, H., Hallfors, D., & Sanchez, V. (2005). Evaluation of a high school peer group intervention for at risk youth. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33, 363–374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-005-3574-4.
Chua, Y. T., & Holt, T. J. (2016). A cross-national examination for the techniques of neutralization to account for hacking behaviors. Victims and Offenders, 11, 534–555. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2015.1121944.
Dishion, T. J., McCord, J., & Poulin, F. (1999). When interventions harm: Peer groups and problem behavior. American Psychologist, 54, 755–764. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.9.755.
Esbensen, F. A., & Osgood, D. W. (1999). Gang resistance education and training (GREAT): Results from a national evaluation. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 36, 194–225. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427899036002004.
Esbensen, F. A., Osgood, D. W., Peterson, D., Taylor, T. J., & Carson, D. C. (2013). Short- and long-term outcome results from a multisite evaluation of the G.R.E.A.T. Program. Criminology and Public Policy, 12, 375–411. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12048.
Gneezy, U., Meier, S., & Rey-Biel, P. (2011). When and why incentives (don’t) work to modify behavior. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 25, 191–209. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.25.4.191.
Goorden, M., van der Schee, E., Hendricks, V. M., & Hakkaart-van Roijen, L. (2016). Cost-effectiveness of multidimensional family therapy compared to cognitive behavioural therapy for adolescents with a cannabis use disorder: Data from a randomized controlled trial. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 162, 154–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.03.004.
Hay, C., Wang, X., Ciaravolo, E., & Meldrum, R. C. (2015). Inside the black box: Identifying the variables that mediate the effects of an experimental intervention for adolescents. Crime and Delinquency, 61, 243–270. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011128711398030.
Hektner, J. M., Brennan, A. L., & August, G. J. (2017). Incorporating well-adjusted peers in a conduct problems prevention program: Evaluation of acceptability, fidelity, and safety of implementation. School Mental Health, 9, 66–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-016-9199-7.
Holt, T. J., Bossler, A. M., & May, D. C. (2012). Low self-control, deviant peer associations, and juvenile cyberdeviance. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 37, 378–395. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-011-9117-3.
Kirby, D. B., Laris, B., & Rolleri, L. A. (2007). Sex and HIV education programs: Their impact on sexual behaviors of young people throughout the world. Journal of Adolescent Health, 403, 206–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.11.143.
Mishna, F., Cook, C., Saini, M., Wu, M.-J., & MacFadden, R. (2009). Interventions for children, youth, and parents to prevent and reduce cyber abuse. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 2. https://doi.org/10.4073/csr.2009.2.
Morris, R. G. (2011). Computer hacking and the techniques of neutralization: An empirical assessment. In T. J. Holt & B. H. Schell (Eds.), Corporate hacking and technology-driven crime: Social dynamics and implications (pp. 1–17). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/9781616928056.ch001.
Osgood, D. W., Feinberg, M. E., Gest, S. D., Moody, J., Ragan, D. T., Spoth, R., et al. (2013). Effects of PROSPER on the influence potential of prosocial versus antisocial youth in adolescent friendship networks. Journal of Adolescent Health, 53, 174–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.02.013.
Osgood, D. W., Feinberg, M. E., & Ragan, D. T. (2015). Social networks and the diffusion of adolescent problem behavior: Reliable estimates of selection and influence from sixth through ninth grades. Prevention Science, 16, 832–843. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-015-0558-7.
Park-Higgerson, H. K., Perumean-Chaney, S. E., Bartolucci, A. A., Grimley, D. M., & Singh, K. P. (2008). The evaluation of school-based violence prevention programs: A meta-analysis. Journal of School Health, 78(9), 465–479. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2008.00332.x.
Pearce, N., Cross, D., Monks, H., Waters, S., & Falconer, S. (2011). Current evidence of best practice in whole-school bullying intervention and its potential to inform cyberbullying interventions. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 21, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1375/ajgc.21.1.1.
Petrosino, A., Turpin‐Petrosino, C., Hollis‐Peel, M. E., & Lavenberg, J. G. (2013). ‘Scared Straight’ and other juvenile awareness programs for preventing juvenile delinquency. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 5. https://doi.org/10.4073/csr.2013.5.
Rhule, D. M. (2005). Take care to do no harm: Harmful interventions for youth problem behavior. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36, 618–625. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.36.6.618.
Roberto, A. J., Eden, J., Savage, M. W., Ramos-Salazar, L., & Deiss, D. M. (2014). Outcome evaluation results of school-based cybersafety promotion and cyberbullying intervention for middle school students. Health Communication, 29, 1029–1042. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2013.831684.
Rosenbaum, D. P., & Hanson, G. S. (1998). Assessing the effects of school-based drug education: A six-year multilevel analysis of project D.A.R.E. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 35, 381–412. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427898035004002.
Sanchez, Z. M., Valente, J. Y., Sanudo, A., Pereira, A. P. D., Cruz, J. I., Schneider, D., et al. (2017). The #Tamojunto drug prevention program in Brazilian schools: A randomized controlled trial. Prevention Science, 18(7), 772–782. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-017-0770-8.
Skinner, W. F., & Fream, A. M. (1997). A social learning theory analysis of computer crime among college students. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 34, 495–518. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022427897034004005.
Soole, D. W., Mazerolle, L., & Rombouts, S. (2008). School-based drug prevention programs: A review of what works. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 41(2), 259–286. https://doi.org/10.1375/acri.41.2.259.
Spoth, R., Redmond, C., Clair, S., Shin, C., Greenberg, M., & Feinberg, M. (2011). Preventing substance misuse through community–university partnerships: Randomized controlled trial outcomes 4½ years past baseline. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 40, 440–447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2010.12.012.
Tobler, N. S., & Stratton, H. H. (1997). Effectiveness of school-based drug prevention programs: A meta-analysis of the research. Journal of Primary Prevention, 18, 71–128. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024630205999.
Turgeman-Goldschmidt, O. (2008). Meanings that hackers assign to their being a hacker. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 2, 382.
West, S. L., & O’Neal, K. K. (2004). Project D.A.R.E. outcome effectiveness revisited. American Journal of Public Health, 94, 1027–1029. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.94.6.1027.
Wilson, D. B., Gottfredson, D. C., & Najaka, S. S. (2001). School-based prevention of problem behaviors: A meta-analysis. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 17(3), 247–272. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011050217296.
Wilson, S. J., & Lipsey, M. W. (2008). School-based interventions for aggressive and disruptive behavior: Update of a meta-analysis. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 33(2), S130–S143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2007.04.011.
Wölfer, R., Schultze-Krumbholz, A., Zagorscak, P., Jäkel, A., Göbel, K., & Scheithauer, H. (2014). Prevention 2.0: Targeting cyberbullying @ school. Prevention Science, 15, 879–887. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-013-0438-y.
Zhao, S., Chen, X., Ellis, W., & Zarbatany, L. (2016). Affiliation with socially withdrawn groups and children’s social and psychological adjustment. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44, 1279–1290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-015-0120-x.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Brewer, R., de Vel-Palumbo, M., Hutchings, A., Holt, T., Goldsmith, A., Maimon, D. (2019). Educational Workshops. In: Cybercrime Prevention. Crime Prevention and Security Management. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31069-1_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31069-1_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Pivot, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-31068-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-31069-1
eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)