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The darknet and smarter crime: methods for investigating criminal entrepreneurs and the illicit drug economy
Bancroft A., Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, Switzerland, 2020. 235 pp. Type: Book (978-3-030265-11-3)
Date Reviewed: Feb 25 2021

“In situations where crime is a value or reward in itself, breaking the law is its own incentive. Crime then can be situationally rational, motivated and meaningful.” Lecturer and researcher Angus Bancroft, with such simple yet deep observations, has authored a fascinating thesis on explaining cybercrime by breaking down this maze into relatable components like the digital infrastructure, crime motivations, existing crime modus operandi, and so on.

The darknet and smarter crime: methods for investigating criminal entrepreneurs and the illicit drug economy is part of Palgrave’s series on cybercrime and cybersecurity, and includes research on extremisms, privacy, cyberbullying, trends in cyber operations, and much more.

In ten chapters, the author explains various aspects, mechanisms, inner workings, and behavioral economics that define the cybercrime landscape. Chapter 11 brings it all together with “Why Digital Crime Works,” which highlights how new forms of crime patterns still rely on social interactions and models that have existed for centuries.

Chapter 1 quite provokingly challenges readers to look at the other side of the coin: digital crime and abuse of technology can deliver innovation and empowerment through technological advancement. Using darknet cryptomarkets as an example, chapter 2 connects the social and digital worlds of criminal enterprises. The following chapters leverage a drug example to further investigate data collection and use, supply chains, and the evolution of law enforcement efforts in this area.

Chapters 6 through 8 explore the business models and pillars of successful drug enterprises, for example, trust and community, and how various stakeholders of the digital ecosystem play a part in running a vibrant--and growing a “trustless”--global network of cybercrime.

Chapters 9 and 10 bring forth the benefits of the cryptomarkets in terms of access to information, transparency, and trust in decentralized networks. Anonymity is then the ultimate alternative to mass surveillance and privacy issues over the Internet.

Overall, this useful reference brings together various facets of digital crime and their connections with offline behavior, providing readers with a deeper understanding of the success of cryptomarkets as the choice platform for online drug markets.

Reviewer:  Phoram Mehta Review #: CR147199 (2107-0178)
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