Can Forensic Psychology Contribute to Solving the Problem of Cybercrime

Considering the severity of the problem of cybercrime, it must next be deliberated whether forensic psychology can aid in the detection, prevention and governance of these crimes or not. While forensic psychology to date has generally focused on violent, sexual and juvenile offences, most of its theory and practice can also be applied to other offences, such as cybercrime. This chapter aims to investigate if forensic psychology can be useful in solving the problem of cybercrime, and briefly considers to what extent it has been applied to these crimes so far. Initially, definitions of forensic psychology will be discussed, and the primary responsibilities and activities of forensic psychologists will be described. Following this the authors will examine how each of these responsibilities and activities may be applied to cybercrime cases, before determining to what extent forensic psychology has been involved in cybercrime cases to date. Suggestions will be made for how to promote the benefits of forensic psychology in cybercrime cases, and finally proposals for future research and potential trends will be highlighted. In order to provide background to the reader who is not familiar with forensic psychology, a very brief overview of some of the key research in the field is provided in the appropriate sections below. However, the reader is encouraged to consult a textbook on the area in order to gain a more thorough appreciation of the breadth and depth of research in this field to date (see for example Davies, Hollin & Bull, 2008; Howitt, 2009 or Huss, 2009). DOI: 10.4018/978-1-61350-350-8.ch002