Pathways Out of Cybercrime: Perceived Desistance From Criminal Hacking

The present study seeks to understand how criminal hackers self-report to desist from the world of cybercrime. In doing so, we address significant gaps in criminological literature, as little is known about pathways out of cybercrime offending. Interviews were conducted with 22 individuals involved in cyber-dependent crime, primarily from the Netherlands. Of these, 15 respondents were justice-involved youth and 7 respondents self-identified as criminal hackers. The interviews offer unique insights into the stages offenders navigate following their involvement in cybercrime. Findings reveal that young hackers may be susceptible to behavioral change through various mechanisms. Desistance from cybercrime is a process that warrants a multidisciplinary perspective, influenced particularly by social bonds, prosocial daily routines, and deterrent experiences. A combination of police intervention and alternative approaches that emphasize ethical application of skills may be a promising route for young hackers in particular, although actual intervention effects remain unverified. We encourage evaluations of current programs for hackers as well as additional quantitative assessments of protective factors among cybercrime offenders.