사이버범죄의도에 대한 공식처벌의 억제효과―일반청소년과 보호관찰청소년의 비교―

Abstract

This study intends to test a deterrent effect of the risk of legal punishment on cyber crime. This study tests it by using intention to cyber crime and also tests whether the effect of legal punishment is reduced when other variables such as social bonds, moral ethic, and self-control are controlled. In addition, it tests the conditional hypotheses whether the effect of punishment depends on the characteristics of offenders such as their social bonds, moral ethic, and self-control. Using data from 262 male middle school students and 93 cyber crime probation offenders, this study tests several hypotheses and applies them to two groups. Results show that the effect of legal threat on intention to cyber crime is significant in a general youth group and that the conditional hypotheses is partially supported: the perceived certainty of legal punishment can deter cyber crime when moral ethic is low or high. However, it is found that moral ethic is the most important in explaining intention to cyber crime in both groups. The policy implication of those results are discussed.