Criminal Threats and Criminogenic Risks of Crimes Committed Against Minors Online

Abstract

Introduction: the author considers the protection of minors against the negative effects of digital influence, including the criminal threat and criminogenic risks that can be detected in a digitally transformed environment. The search for legal solutions to decrease criminal threat and criminogenic risks is also addressed. Materials and Methods: the study materials included the law providing criminological security of minors, a public opinion poll, and statistical data on police-recorded juvenile crimes committed online. The study employed a variety of methods, including empirical and linguistic methods, scientific and analytical methods, as well as specific juridical methods, such as sociological, juridical, comparative legal, etc. Results of the study indicated that criminal threats and criminogenic risks associated with unsupervised use of the Internet, social networks, and messengers by minors have been on the rise, as evidenced by the upward trend in online crimes committed against minors observed in 2023, similar to the previous years. Currently, the most significant risk is sexual abuse against minors online, as it has the most detrimental impact on the physical, sexual, psychological, and moral development of adolescents. The reduction of this type of crime will necessitate the allocation of special attention and the collaboration of law enforcement with network operators and providers in order to construct a robust and effective system for regulating the consumption of information products by minors. It is of the utmost importance to ensure that the system does not impede the development of the younger generation. Discussion and Conclusions: given the current level of criminal threats and criminogenic risks for minors, including attacks on their biosocial nature online, low detection rates and high levels of latency of this type of crime, it is imperative to improve the educational process for specialists working with minors, as well as for parents. This should include teaching minors themselves to use the Internet, social networks, and messengers. The author devotes particular attention to the inter-agency, intra-agency, and international interaction between law enforcement agencies.