The criminological evaluation of cybercrimes within higher learning institutions: A case study of the University of Venda students (UNIVEN)

Abstract

This study evaluates the nature and extent of cybercrimes prevalent within higher learning institutions of South Africa. Cyber-attacks are growing at a distressing rate and has posed a serious challenge within academia by impacting and disrupting normal learning setting. Universities data infrastructure is vulnerable to criminals, can be compromised easily while students and staff are not alien to proportion of cybercrime impact inclusive of hacking, financial loss, bullying, illegal circulation of pornography, blackmailing’s, extortion and many other crimes. This case study evaluates student views about cybercrimes prevalent, causes, interrogated views about cybersecurity channels and impact of crimes at the University of Venda (Univen). Quantitative approach is applied, where snowballing sample procedure was utilised to quantitatively sample Univen students. The focus of this section, is Univen students, therefore 200 questionnaires were circulated amongst them to collect data. The research utilised the routine activities theory and differential association theory of crime as the study problem framework. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 for quantitative data analysis is used to analyse data. The study uncovered depth of cybercrimes prevalent within Univen and extent of victimization and perpetration. It also exposes legal challenges hindering reporting or disclosure of violence suffered in online platforms. It makes recommendations that could be used to inform adoption of framework to manage cybercrimes within higher education institutions (HEI) of South Africa and to find alternatives programmes that will positively address cyber incidents within academia.