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The purpose of the present study was to evaluate a cybersecurity and digital forensics enrichment program for gifted and talented students to determine students' perceptions of this enrichment course. We evaluated data from 25 secondary education students and one educator to examine their perceptions of the program. Responses from students and the teacher indicated that the cyber enrichment program was well-received by students. Findings demonstrated that authentic and hands-on experiences with cybersecurity and digital forensics were associated with students' perceiving the program as appealing and meaningful and perceiving themselves as highly efficacious when it comes to cybersecurity and digital forensics. Future research directions are discussed.

The present study used an explanatory mixed-method design to examine the effects of the Achievement Motivation Enhancement (AME)+Cyber enrichment program and teachers' perception of procedures and outcomes in the context of emergency remote teaching, including online and hybrid formats, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three teachers implemented the program with 57 students in grades 9 through 12. To evaluate the program, we combined change score analysis of pretest and posttest data on academic self-perception, self-regulation, goal valuation, cyber-related interest, as well as descriptive interpretative analysis of interview data. We found the online learning format was more effective than the hybrid format for the affective and cognitive outcomes. Qualitative findings suggested pedagogical concerns and struggle with online learning due to emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, centered around a lack of student engagement and interaction that appropriate levels of training and practice could remedy. Implications and future research suggestions are discussed.

Internet trolling is a form of online aggression that can have negative psychological effects on its victims. This study examines whether Internet trolling behaviors is related to general strain theory. Respondents were solicited from Mechanical Turk and completed an anonymous, Internet-based survey measuring a variety of trolling behaviors and strains (i.e., cyberbullying victimization, trolling victimization, financial strain, and social strain). Of the 259 respondents, 55% self-reported engaging in Internet trolling behaviors. Partial correlations, controlling for sex and age, suggested trolling was significantly related to cyberbullying victimization, trolling victimization, financial strain, and social strain. The hierarchical (blockwise entry) logistic regression found trolls scored higher on cyberbullying victimization, trolling victimization, and financial strain compared to non-trolls. In addition, there was a marginally significant relationship between trolling and higher scores on social strain. Men were also more likely to engage in trolling behaviors compared to women. We conclude there is a relationship between online trolling behaviors and general strain theory. Future research should consider other sources of strain and comparisons between the different types of trolling behaviors (e.g., flaming, griefing, and memorial page trolling) when examining the relationship between trolling and strains. Additional future research suggestions and study limitations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer criminal behaviors have changed drastically over time, and researchers need to consider updated scales that assess the prevalence of these more modern cybercriminal behaviors. The goal of this study was to update the Computer Crime Index, a questionnaire assessing self-reported computer criminal behavior, which has not been updated since its revision in 2006. We revised and created the Computer Crime Index-Revised 2 (CCI-R2), assessed the scale's factor loadings, then respondents from MTurk completed an anonymous, internet-based survey measuring self-reported cybercriminal behavior (CCI-R2) and individual differences (extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, agreeableness, neuroticism). Of the 250 respondents, 82% self-reported engaging in at least one type of cybercriminal behavior. Like the older versions, all items from the CCI-R2 loaded on to a single factor component. Results suggested a significant relationship between cybercriminal behavior and low scores on extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Gender was not related to cybercriminal behavior. We concluded that the name of the instrument needs to better reflect its true focus on measuring cyber-deviant behavior, not just computer criminal behavior: Cyber Crime Index (CyCI). We recommend moving forward that researchers assessing cybercriminal behavior adopt the new Cyber Crime Index (CyCI) in place of the CCI or CCI-R, as this scale measures more current cybercriminal behaviors, and continuing to use outdated scales will likely result in poor validity of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study used an explanatory mixed-method design to examine the effects of the Achievement Motivation Enhancement (AME)+Cyber enrichment program and teachers' perception of procedures and outcomes in the context of emergency remote teaching, including online and hybrid formats, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three teachers implemented the program with 57 students in grades 9 through 12. To evaluate the program, we combined change score analysis of pretest and posttest data on academic self-perception, self-regulation, goal valuation, cyber-related interest, as well as descriptive interpretative analysis of interview data. We found the online learning format was more effective than the hybrid format for the affective and cognitive outcomes. Qualitative findings suggested pedagogical concerns and struggle with online learning due to emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, centered around a lack of student engagement and interaction that appropriate levels of training and practice could remedy. Implications and future research suggestions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of online child pornography is a major societal issue. The criminal justice system has struggled with assessing the risk of individuals involved in online sexual offenses against children, especially when it involves the possession of child pornography. Research suggests there are different categories of offenders involved in this type of behavior (e.g., Online Child Pornography Offenders, Dual Offenders, Contact Offenders), with each category having different motivations, contributing factors, and levels of risk to re‐offend or escalate their criminal behavior to more serious offenses (i.e., collecting pictures to contact offending). Determining the risk that individuals involved in online sexual offenses against children pose to re‐offend or escalate their criminal behavior has been problematic. Traditional sexual offender risk measures have lower predictive validity when dealing with online child pornography offenders. This article discusses the need for a formalized hybrid risk assessment model that combines the current online sex offenses against children risk measures with digital forensics artifact analysis. The evidence derived from digital forensics artifact analysis can supplement the predictive risk factors obtained from these risk assessment tools, thus increasing the reliability and validity of the risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sex trafficking victims often have touchpoints with salons for waxing, styling, and other body modification services required by traffickers. Recently, some states have administered laws requiring salon professionals to receive intimate partner violence (IPV)-related training, with even fewer states mandating training on identifying sex trafficking. This study aimed to understand how salon professionals have witnessed evidence of violence, including IPV and sex trafficking, in the workplace and to explore the differences in their approach to each type of victim., Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with salon professionals (N = 10) and law enforcement professionals/policymakers (N = 5). Content and thematic analysis techniques were used., Results: Salon professionals typically identified potential violence through signs such as bruises, odd behavior, and client disclosures, prompting them to engage in cautious conversations. Yet, few were trained to identify and intervene. Often, they responded to suspected violence by talking with the client, sharing concerns with salon leadership, directly intervening on the client's behalf, or contacting the police. Law enforcement and salon professionals had suggestions about improving salon professionals' recognition of and response to violence, including training on victim-focused resources, creating a safe environment, and building relationships with law enforcement. They also suggested strengthening community partnerships to increase resource advocacy and reporting., Conclusions: One-on-one salon services may provide a unique opportunity to intervene and identify victims of violence, especially when empowered through additional training and collaborative partnerships with community-oriented policing initiates. Implementing training and community-based initiatives could aid salon professionals in gaining greater confidence in knowing what to do when serving a client who is a victim of IPV or sex trafficking., (© 2024. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)