While reports of traditional ‘offline’ crime have been decreasing for years, citizens and businesses are increasingly falling victim to cybercrime, ranging from online fraud to harassment and intimidation. “The dividing line between the digital world and the ‘real’ world is becoming increasingly blurred,” Van Steden points out. “Take stalking, for example. That’s one offence where the focus has increasingly shifted towards social media and WhatsApp.”
In part, the shift from traditional crime to cybercrime appears to be due to the low probability of being caught compared to the expected rewards. This makes tackling cybercrime a priority for the Netherlands’ National Police. But do the police, and more specifically the local police teams who deal directly with members of the public, have sufficient knowledge to tackle cybercrime?
Ter Woerds: “The local police teams consist of every officer who works at a police station. They are rooted in the local area and often provide the first point of contact. They have to adapt to the changing demands of people on the street, and those demands increasingly involve cybercrime.” Lack of familiarity with the nature of cybercrime can result in criminal offences online not being recognised or tackled effectively enough. This can result in a misguided reluctance among victims to report crimes of this type. Another issue is that cybercrime often goes beyond the catchment area of a local police team. Perpetrators of cybercrime can claim victims on a large scale across the whole country within a short time frame.
The aim of the current study is to reveal the extent to which and the ways in which teams encounter, approach and tackle cybercrime – and how this process is perceived by the victims. “We start by taking stock of the number and types of cases that come in,” Van Steden explains. Ter Woerds adds, “We do this by looking at six local police teams spread across the country, which differ in size and type of working area.” The researchers assume that the teams differ not only in terms of their organisation, but also the make-up of their local area and the backgrounds of the people who live there. The study centres on how police officers assess, select and prioritise cybercrime, taking into account their capabilities and the challenges they face.
Listening to the victims
Ter Woerds observes, “Cybercrime is a dynamic field and elements such as who should fulfil what role have yet to be settled. Of course we have specialists working in the police. But the local police teams also need access to that specialist expertise. Ultimately, it’s about discovering how the police can best serve the public.” In what cases and in which ways have the victims of cybercrime received effective help and support? To find this out, the researchers are also talking to victims. Van Steden sums up their approach: “We look at how they experienced the crime and how they viewed their contact with the police.”
With this aim in mind, the study focuses on two key issues: increasing knowledge of how police can tackle cybercrime more effectively, and improving systems by making adjustments to policy and implementation where needed. Expert sessions are set up to reflect on the results and discuss areas for improvement. Ter Woerds observes, “We can’t change the way we work overnight, nor would we want to. What we are saying is: if you do want to change, what issues are you facing at present? And what steps can you take to address them?”
Collaboration
This is not the first time that Van Steden and Ter Woerds have worked together. They are both very positive about police and university researchers joining forces. Ter Woerds reflects, “The knowledge that VU Amsterdam brings to the table enables us to expand our opportunities, enlarging our research capacity and creating new perspectives.” Van Steden adds, “For us at VU Amsterdam it’s vital to ensure that our research has societal impact, which means gaining a real understanding of how the field operates. We collaborate on an equal basis, combining scientific depth with an action-oriented component.”
