Volume 12 - Issue 64
/ April 2023
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http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.64.04.25
How to Cite:
Arkusha, L., Dykyi, O., Fedchun, N., Diachkova, M., & Osadchyi, B. (2023). The effect of digitalization on the extent of criminal
activity in the context of the pandemic. Amazonia Investiga, 12(64), 257-262. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.64.04.25
The effect of digitalization on the extent of criminal activity in the
context of the pandemic
Вплив цифровізації на масштаби злочинної діяльності в умовах пандемії
Received: April 20, 2023 Accepted: May 29, 2023
Written by:
Larysa Arkusha1
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0422-6416
Oleh Dykyi2
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9659-9350
Nataliia Fedchun3
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9634-5411
Mariia Diachkova4
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4449-7648
Bogdan Osadchyi5
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2290-9306
Abstract
The process of digitalization has impacted
various aspects of social life, and the growth of
digital technologies has led to significant
changes in communication in society. During the
pandemic, digitalization has been particularly
noticeable as it has enabled continuous
communication despite restrictions. However,
this has also affected the level of crime, and it is
crucial to understand how digitalization has
impacted crime rates globally. This study aims to
investigate the specifics of digitalization's impact
on crime during the pandemic, examining the
causal relationship between the two. The
research focuses on the social relations
comprised during digitalization in the criminal-
legal aspect. Findings suggest that the pandemic
has revolutionized the usual law and order among
the population, affecting both law-abiding
citizens and criminals. Digitalization has also
changed the nature of certain crimes, leading to a
shift in the level of crime. It is expected that the
pandemic will continue to impact society and
1
Doctor of legal sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Criminal Procedure, Detective and Operational Investigation of the
National University "Odesa Law Academy", Ukraine.
2
PhD in Law, Dean of the Faculty of Cybersecurity and Information Technologies of the National University "Odesa Law Academy",
Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal Procedure, Detective and Operational Investigation of the National University
"Odesa Law Academy", Ukraine.
3
PhD in Law, Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal Procedure, Detective and Operational Investigation of the National
University "Odesa Law Academy", Ukraine.
4
PhD in Law, Associate Professor of the Department of Criminal Procedure, Detective and Operational Investigation of the National
University "Odesa Law Academy", Ukraine.
5
Postgraduate student of the Department of Criminal Procedure, Detective and Operational Investigation National University "Odesa
Law Academy", Ukraine.
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crime rates for an extended period. Therefore, it
is vital to consider the impact of innovative
information technologies on crime levels when
implementing measures in Ukraine and globally.
Keywords: crime, IT criminality, digital
technologies, cybercrime, criminal-legal
protection.
Introduction
Various factors are causing changes in social
relations in modern times. Notably, digitalization
has had a profound impact on these changes. In
addition, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to new
forms of interaction between people, with online
communication becoming increasingly
permanent. The use of information and
communication technologies is closely linked to
digitalization. Nowadays, personal computers,
mobile phones, mobile communications, ATMs,
bank terminals, electronic banking on mobile
devices, contactless payment technologies like
PayPass, and others have become indispensable
parts of our lives.
Despite the positive effects of digitalization
during the pandemic, there are still negative and
dangerous behaviors that exist in society,
including criminal activities that continue to
evolve and take on new forms. As a result, the
pandemic has become a significant threat to
national security due to its impact on crime,
which is an integral part of social relations within
a country.
It can be argued that society is a complex system
consisting of interrelated processes and elements,
that changes in one element can have ripple
effects on others. With the Covid-19 pandemic
affecting the social life of many countries
worldwide, the usual lifestyles and routines of
millions of people have been disrupted, leading
to changes in the level of criminal activities.
Interpol has reported a significant rise in the sales
of counterfeit medicines such as antimalarials
and vitamins, fake protective masks, and
disinfectants since the beginning of the
pandemic. The organization has also issued a
warning about the increase in sexually motivated
crimes against children due to the restrictive
measures implemented during the pandemic.
These measures include the closure of schools,
increased time spent by children on the Internet,
restrictions on international travel and
repatriation of foreigners, and limited access to
social support services and teaching staff who
play a crucial role in detecting cases of sexual
exploitation of children.
The impact of the pandemic on crime rates varies
in different countries. In Ukraine, for instance,
the level of crime decreased by 30% between
March and July 2020, but there was a
corresponding increase in cybercrime, including
criminal offenses committed using computer
equipment, information technologies, and global
networks. There was also an increase in fraud
committed through the use of Internet
technologies.
Given these developments, it is crucial to
understand the impact of digitalization on crime
rates during the pandemic, including the need for
legal regulation of this area. It is necessary to
analyze this issue, establish the cause-and-effect
relationship, and pay attention to international
experiences that have contributed to reducing the
level of crime during the pandemic.
The research questions which the authors
decided to solve in the present article include the
following ones. How has digitalization during the
pandemic impacted the overall levels and
structure of crime? What are the specific types of
"coronavirus crimes" that have emerged during
the pandemic as a result of digitalization? How
has the increase in online services, purchases,
and electronic payments during the pandemic
contributed to the rise in cyberattacks and
cybercrimes? What are the experiences of
different countries, such as the United States,
Great Britain, and Bulgaria, in terms of the
impact of digitalization on crime during the
pandemic?
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The answers to the stated research questions are
reflected in the conclusions of this article.
Theoretical Framework or Literature Review
In their article, Arkusha and Mandrychenko
(2020) provided a general overview of criminal
activity that occurred during quarantine
conditions. They identified various crimes
related to digitalization, including fraud using
internet resources to sell low-quality goods,
gathering information for criminal activities,
spreading false information, and cybercrimes
aimed at accessing confidential information and
conducting illegal transactions.
Meanwhile, Bandurka O. M. and Bandurka I. O.
(2020) investigated the theoretical aspects of
crimes committed during the pandemic.
Similarly, Batyrgareeva, Borisov, Yevteeva,
Kalinina, Kolodyazhnyi, and Shramko (2020)
focused on socio-legal and criminological issues
caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in Ukraine.
They highlighted the high mortality rate as the
most severe consequence of the pandemic and
outlined other negative consequences on various
aspects of society, including human rights, legal
regulations, economy, social life, information
space, and law and order.
Furthermore, Golovkin (2017) explored the
characteristics of utilizing electronic crime
prevention systems in large cities. In the study
conducted by Golovko, Shpak, and Mykyta
(2021), the authors extensively discussed the
trends of offenses during the Covid-19 pandemic,
focusing on domestic violence and cyber-
violence. Unfortunately, the authors found that
the quarantine led to an increase in certain types
of offenses, particularly cybercrimes and
domestic violence.
In addition, Denisova (2020) analyzed the
manifestations of crime during the pandemic.
Zabarnyi (2021) examined the experiences of
both Ukrainian and foreign crime patterns before
and after the pandemic. The author noted that the
pandemic significantly altered the structure of
crime, as there was a decrease in traditional
"street" crimes during the initial month of the
pandemic, accompanied by an increase in
cybercrimes, fraud using IT technologies,
domestic violence, and theft.
Additionally, Kalinin (2020) presented a
criminological prediction regarding the impact of
the virus pandemic on the legal system.
According to the author, the COVID-19
pandemic and its associated quarantine measures
may lead to an increase in several types of
crimes, such as violations of sanitary rules and
norms related to infectious disease prevention
(Article 325 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),
fraud, vandalism, looting, hooliganism
(particularly during the nighttime), cybercrime,
domestic violence, violent crimes, sexual crimes
committed within households, and crimes
associated with alcoholism, drug addiction,
suicides, homelessness, and illegal migration.
Kryzhanovskyi's (2020) article explores the
immediate and long-term effects of COVID-19
pandemic and the quarantine measures imposed
by various countries on law and order. Kulyk
(2019) investigated the use of Smart Building
technology for crime prevention in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Litvinov (2020) discussed the
implementation of digital tools and emphasized
the need to understand the role of numbers in
human life before introducing technological
innovations. Novikov and Novikova (2021)
examined the theoretical and legal aspects of
cyber-violence, a crime that gained prominence
during the pandemic. Finally, Romanov (2020)
focused on the impact of digitization on human
rights and ensuring their protection during the
pandemic.
E. Streltsov and L. Streltsov (2020) conducted a
thorough analysis of the crime during and after
the coronavirus pandemic. According to the
authors, studying the phenomenon of crime in the
context of the pandemic requires a
comprehensive and systematic approach. It
involves isolating coronavirus-related crimes and
examining their quick and long-term
consequences, some of which are predictable
today, while others are probabilistic or unknown.
In the context of the pandemic, Tretyak (2020)
examined economic crimes and fraud while
Shevchuk (2020) explored the impact of
COVID-19 on crime. Shevchuk concluded that
the pandemic has had a negative effect on all
social processes, particularly economic ones. The
implementation of quarantine measures has
significantly impacted the country's economy,
thereby reducing the well-being of nearly all
citizens. This may potentially lead to an increase
in self-serving and violent crime. However, the
consequences of the pandemic on crime rates and
the emergence of new criminal offenses are
likely to materialize in the future.
Bradley B. (2020) analyzed the impact of
quarantine on the crime rate in Chicago, while
Tisdell C. A. (2020) examined the moral and
ethical concerns arising from COVID-19 policies
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and factors affecting crime. Although researchers
and legal experts have expressed interest in the
impact of the pandemic on crime, a
comprehensive analysis of the influence of
digitization on crime rates during the pandemic
is currently lacking.
Given the relevance and significance of this
topic, further examination is necessary.
Methodology
During the study of the impact of digitization on
crime levels during the pandemic, philosophical
methods were employed. Specifically, the use of
philosophical-dialectical laws and categories
helped to understand how digitization affects the
transformation of crime in the modern world.
These laws and categories were necessary and
sufficient for studying information about crime
during the pandemic.
As legal questions about crime are transformed
into cognitive ones, a theoretical understanding
of the relevant social phenomena is necessary to
learn the essential basis of factors affecting crime
levels. This involves including the entire system
of temporal characteristics of legal reality, such
as social and historical conditioning,
interrelationships, connections, dependencies,
and the interaction of all legal factors.
The most fruitful methodological basis for
explaining the cause-and-effect relationship
between the pandemic, digitization, and crime
levels is provided by principles and laws of
dialectics such as the law on the general,
universal connection of objects and phenomena
in the surrounding world, the concept of social
determinism, and the principle of historicism.
The concept of cause-and-effect relationship
plays an important methodological function
because understanding the causes and conditions
under which a specific consequence occurs
allows for the prediction and generation of
necessary consequences.
The systematic method was used to analyze the
doubts and contradictions in the study of crime
during the pandemic in the context of
digitalization. Crime was considered a relatively
independent, dynamic, and probabilistic social
system, with its own characteristics and
regularities. Logical methods such as induction,
deduction, and synthesis were employed to
reveal the content of digitization and the
influence of various factors on the growth and
decline of crime rates in different countries.
These methods helped in comprehensively
understanding the phenomenon of digitalization
and its impact on social relations, as well as the
changes brought about by the pandemic and
related restrictions. Overall, the use of
philosophical and logical methods at both
theoretical and empirical levels provided new
insights and helped in forming clearer
conclusions for this study.
The study extensively examined the changes in
crime rates, considering various factors through
the use of statistical analysis. The statistical
method provided a comprehensive approach to
investigating the relationship and connection of
data in comparing the state of crime before and
during the pandemic. By collecting and
analyzing statistical data, and observing trends, it
helped to identify common characteristics,
processes, and patterns regarding the impact of
digitalization during the pandemic on the level of
crime.
Results and Discussion
The pandemic, with its widespread anti-epidemic
measures, has impacted every aspect of social
life. As a result, it has increased the criminogenic
potential in society, leading to the repurposing of
crimes and a change in the structure of crime.
According to the Interpol report, criminals
quickly exploited the crisis, adapting their illegal
activities or resorting to new types of criminal
acts. Cybercrime, fraud, the sale of counterfeit
medical and sanitary products, personal
protective equipment, and the emergence of a
new "quarantine" type of organized crime have
all seen an upsurge. This type of organized crime
involves groups of offenders who carry out pre-
designed scenarios, such as scams, by
impersonating representatives of authorities and
doctors to commit fraud and theft (Interpol,
2020).
Through an analysis of scientific literature and
statistical information, several trends and
consequences of the impact of digitization during
the pandemic on crime levels can be generalized.
The rise in computer-related crimes and
exploitation of information technology has led to
an increase in criminal offenses. The pandemic
has impacted both law-abiding citizens and
criminals, who have quickly adapted to the
changes in society and intensified their online
activities. Moreover, inadequate protection of
personal information on home computers and
increased online shopping and payment using
bank cards have facilitated criminal activities.
Fraudsters have taken advantage of the
pandemic-induced social imbalances to engage
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in deception and abuse of trust, resulting in an
increase in fraudulent activities involving the use
of information technology (Shevchuk, 2020).
The interaction between digitalization, the
pandemic, and crime has resulted in various
consequences, including the following:
The pandemic has prioritized the need for
survival, and the use of convenient tools for
public interaction has become an opportunity for
internet fraud and security breaches.
While certain types of crime remained latent, the
pandemic did not affect their manifestation, such
as criminal activities related to road traffic safety
and transportation.
A significant trend observed during the pandemic
is the increase in cybercrime.
We will now examine how different countries
have been affected by digitization during the
pandemic and its impact on the structure of
crime.
According to statistical data, Ukraine
experienced a significant decrease in many types
of criminal offenses during the first month of the
pandemic compared to the same period in 2019.
However, cybercriminals in Ukraine created over
10,000 fake resources related to the pandemic,
resulting in an increase in cyber fraud by more
than 200% by the end of March 2020. Similarly,
After the introduction of a special regime in
Bulgaria, there was a significant decrease in the
total number of crimes registered. Analyzing
crime trends in Bulgaria in the first few months
of the past three years, there was a decrease in
crime indicators in February and an increase in
March 2020. However, the quarantine period
provided favorable conditions for cybercrime
and fraud. During the state of emergency in
Bulgaria, cybercrime increased by
approximately one-third compared to previous
months. Almost half of these cases involved
hacking attacks on corporate networks for
industrial espionage and extortion, while the rest
targeted personal data and financial theft
(Zabarnyi, 2021). The first month of the
coronavirus pandemic saw a decrease in crime of
more than 70% (Zabarnyi, 2021). Spain and the
United Kingdom also saw crime decrease by
more than 70% during the first month of the
pandemic. Meanwhile, in the US, the level of
crime decreased in certain states such as Illinois,
Pennsylvania, and Indiana, as the number of calls
to the police decreased due to the pandemic.
However, the expanded use of online stores and
services, as well as online payments,
significantly increased the number of frauds,
especially cybercrimes, highlighting the impact
of quarantine restrictions and digitalization on
crime.
Conclusions
The pandemic has had a significant impact on
human civilization, creating new opportunities
for population interaction through digitalization
tools, while also bringing new risks that lead to
new forms of crime and affect overall crime
levels.
The impact of digitalization during the pandemic
has affected crime in both coronavirus and post-
coronavirus conditions. A new type of crime,
known as "coronavirus crime," has emerged due
to the impact of the pandemic and digitalization.
This type of crime is characterized by its content,
which reflects both the viral disease itself, as well
as the methods of interaction and measures taken
to limit, reduce or stop the spread of the disease.
The experiences of various countries, including
the United States, Great Britain, and Bulgaria,
show that digitalization during the pandemic has
led to changes in the structure and level of crime.
Specifically, there has been an increase in
cyberattacks and cybercrimes against
organizations and individuals due to the rise in
online services, purchases, and electronic
payments. Additionally, the loss of jobs among
the population has contributed to an increase in
online fraud.
Moving forward, it is crucial to conduct further
scientific research on the specifics of crimes
committed in the digital environment during the
pandemic and explore ways to prevent them.
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