Cybercrime
Pathways
Programme
The aim of the Cybercrime Pathways Programme is to acquire fundamental
knowledge on pathways into and out of cybercrime and to future-proof
existing theories developed in the pre-digital era.
const CybercrimePathways = ResearchProject({
team: Jildau Borwell, Luuk Bekkers, Rutger Leukfeldt;
organizations: NSCR, THUAS and Police;
funding body: the European Research Council;
});
Police
Police can use our insights to analyze online criminal networks and enhance investigations into cyber-dependent and cyber-enabled crimes.
Probation services
Probation services can apply our insights to tailor supervision and rehabilitation programs, using data on risk and desistance factors to guide offenders away from cybercrime.
Municipality
Municipalities can utilize our research to design community-based prevention initiatives, targeting at-risk groups with education and support to disrupt pathways into cybercrime.
Project roadmap
The CybercrimePathways Programme is outlined in five Work Packages, detailed across Parts 2 and 3, providing a comprehensive roadmap to study pathways into and out of cybercrime using mixed methods and innovative approaches.
2024
WP1: Mapping Existing Knowledge
2024 - 2025
WP2: Collecting Data from Offenders and Ethical Hackers
2024 - 2025
WP3: Breaking the Walls of Silence: Using Criminal Justice System Data
2026 - 2027
WP4: Online Interaction and Interests of Cybercriminals
2026 - 2028
WP5: Online Fields Experiments
Newsroom
Stay informed with the latest project updates, publications, as well as our presentations in past and upcoming conferences.
Publication
August 6, 2025
Journal of Criminal Psychology
Online gaming as a criminological environment: exploring criminogenic needs and offending behaviors of gamers
Publication
Computer Law & Security Review
A systematic narrative review of pathways into, desistance from, and risk factors of financial-economic cyber-enabled crime
Publication
Psychiatry, Psychology and Law
Distinct group, distinct traits? A comparison of risk factors across cybercrime offenders, traditional offenders and non-offenders
What is Cybercrime Pathways
A reasearch group
How can I stay updated on the latest project developments?
You can subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates on research progress, publications, events, and more.
How do you collect data for this project?
We use a combination of interviews with experts and cybercriminals, surveys, and analysis of secondary data to gather comprehensive information.
Is the research focused on any particular country or region?
While we conduct interviews and collect data internationally, including Europe, the USA, and Australia, our findings aim to be relevant and applicable globally.
What is the main goal of this project?
Our project aims to better understand how individuals become involved in cybercrime and what factors lead them to stop, to improve prevention and intervention strategies.
Who can benefit from the findings of this research?
Law enforcement, policymakers, social workers, educators, and other practitioners working to prevent and respond to cybercrime can apply our insights and tools in their work.
Contact us
Contact us to explore sponsorship opportunities, collaborate with our research team, or engage with our advisory board to support groundbreaking cybercrime prevention efforts.