Contenido
La prevención situacional de delitos (SCP por sus siglas en inglés) es un concepto relativamente nuevo que utiliza un planteamiento preventivo centrado en reducir las oportunidades para delinquir. La SCP se centra en el entorno del delito y es diferente de la mayoría de la criminología porque empieza examinando las circunstancias que permiten un tipo de delito.[10] Tras comprender estas circunstancias, se introducen cambios en el entorno con el objetivo de reducir las oportunidades de delinquir. Así, la SCP se centra más en la prevención del delito que en su castigo o en la detección de los delincuentes. Su intención es hacer que la delincuencia sea menos atractiva para los infractores.
La SCP se centra en los procesos reductores de oportunidades que:.
La teoría detrás de la SCP se concentra en la creación de mecanismos de seguridad que ayuden a proteger a las personas honradas haciendo que los delincuentes teman que no podrán cometer el delito o que serán atrapados o detectados. Esto resultará en que estén poco dispuestos a cometer delitos donde se hayan instalado tales mecanismos. Este razonamiento se basa en el concepto de elección racional: cada posible delincuente evaluará la situación de un delito potencial, considerará positivamente cuánto puede ganar, lo contrapesará con lo que puede perder y la probabilidad de fallar, y actuará en consecuencia.
Un ejemplo práctico de SCP es la imposición automatizada de sanciones por infracciones de tráfico (IASIT). Sistemas IASIT emplean cámaras en las carreteras o las calles para detectar a los conductores que infringen el límite de velocidad o que se saltan un semáforo en rojo. Las cámaras además leen la matrícula del vehículo y transmiten la infracción a un sistema de notificación. Se anuncia (por ejemplo mediante carteles) la instalación de estos sistemas para intentar que el número de infracciones se mantenga bajo. Como el potencial infractor —alguien que está dudando si sobrepasar el límite de velocidad o saltarse el semáforo en rojo— sabe que la probabilidad de sanción es casi del 100 %, esto lo desincentiva completamente en las áreas donde se instalan IASIT. Aunque no concluyente, la evidencia muestra que estos sistemas funcionan. En un estudio de Filadelfia, algunas de las intersecciones más peligrosas de la ciudad experimentaron una reducción del 96 % en los conductores que se saltaban el semáforo en rojo después de la instalación y anuncio de un sistema IASIT.[11].
Application of SCP to computing
SCP generally attempts to move away from "dispositional" theories of crime commission—that is, the influence of psychosocial or genetic factors of the potential offender—to focus on those environmental and situational factors that can potentially influence offending behavior. Therefore, rather than focusing on the offender, the SCP focuses on the circumstances that lead to committing a crime. Understanding these circumstances leads to the introduction of measures that alter environmental factors with the aim of reducing opportunities to commit crimes. Among other aspects of the SCP the following can be mentioned:
It has been proposed to assess cybercriminals in terms of their criminal attributes, which include skills, knowledge, resources, access and motives (SKRAM).[14] Such criminals will typically have these attributes to a greater degree, and for this reason SCP may be more useful than other traditional prevention approaches. Clarke proposed a table of 25 SCP techniques,[13] but the 5 general headings are:.
IT professionals and others who want to fight cybercrime could[16] use the same techniques and consequently reduce the frequency of these crimes.
Designing the environment to keep crime out is a crucial element of SCP, and the most efficient way to use computers to combat crime is to predict criminal behavior. If predicted correctly, the crime is much more difficult. SCP also has an advantage over other cybersecurity approaches: it does not focus on crime from the offender's point of view.
Many organizations or companies are highly dependent on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and information has become an extremely valuable commodity. Although storing information on computers facilitates shared access by users, cybercrime is a considerable threat to said information, whether committed by an external or internal hacker. After viruses, illicit access to and theft of information constitutes the largest percentage of all financial losses associated with cybercrime and security incidents. Companies need to protect themselves against these illegal or immoral activities. The crime of intrusion into a computer system is a huge business—as the hacker can steal passwords, read or alter files, and access confidential emails—but it could almost be eliminated if hackers were prevented from accessing the computer system or identified quickly enough.[17][18][19].
Despite many years of computer security research, enormous amounts of money spent on secure operations, and increasing training requirements, there are frequent reports of intrusions and data thefts on some of the most heavily protected computer systems in the world. Crime in cyberspace is increasing with activities such as reading other people's email, credit card fraud and copyright infringement. As the use and extension of the Internet increases, many web services and applications are established, widely used by companies for their transactions.[20][21][22].
In the case of cybercrime, even cautious companies attempting to create extensive and effective security can unintentionally create opportunities for intrusion by using inappropriate controls.[23] Consequently, if precautions do not provide an adequate level of security, the computer system will be at risk.
SCP techniques can be specifically adapted to cybercrime as follows:.
Increase effort.
Better protect potential targets and restrict access—using firewalls, encryption, card or password access to ID databases, and ban hacker websites and magazines.
Increase the risk that the offender runs.
Strengthen authentication procedures—checking employee history with database access, tracking users' keyboard keystrokes, using photo and fingerprints for ID or credit cards, additional identification for online purchases, using cameras at ATMs and at points of sale.
Reduce the benefits of committing the crime.
Move potential crime targets and disrupt cyberplaces—monitoring websites and spam, harsh penalties for hackers, prompt reporting of lost or stolen credit cards, and avoiding identification numbers on all official documents.
Reduce provocations and excuses.
Avoid disputes and temptations—maintaining good relations between employees and management and continually raising awareness about responsible computer use.[24].
Many of these techniques do not require a considerable investment in high computer technology, skills or knowledge. Rather, the key lies in the effective use of existing personnel and their training.
Safeguards
Another aspect of the SCP, more applicable to cybercrime, is the safeguard principle. The introduction of these safeguards is designed to influence the potential offender's views on the risks and benefits of committing the offence. A crime is usually committed if the offender decides that there is little or no risk of being detected or caught. One of the objectives of the SCP is to put safeguards at the point where the potential offender may view the criminal act unfavorably. For example, if a driver approaches an intersection where there are speed cameras, and considers that there is an almost 100% chance of being fined if he runs the red light, he may decide to reduce his speed.
The use of "criminal scripts" has been publicized as a method of managing safeguards. Scripts were originally developed in the field of cognitive science and focus on behavior oriented toward rational goals. For this reason, scripts have been proposed as a tool to examine criminal behavior. In particular, the use of what is called a "universal script" has been advanced to correctly identify all stages in the process of committing a crime.
Fraud and situational crime prevention
In computer systems designed to keep crime out, one of the tactics used is to assess the risk of each transaction while it is being carried out. An alarm goes off at any sign of a crime. Preventing credit card fraud has recently been one of the most complex tasks around the world, and despite numerous prevention initiatives, it is clear that more needs to be done to solve the problem.[25]
Fraud prevention encompasses a wide range of activities, including early warning systems, signs and patterns of different types of fraud, profiles of users and their activities, computer security, and preventing customer dissatisfaction.[26]
Several factors make this prevention extremely difficult: the enormous volume of data; rapid and accurate detection of fraud without disrupting legitimate operations; the development of new frauds that circumvent existing techniques; and the risk of false alarms.
Generally, fraud detection techniques fall into 2 categories: statistical techniques and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques.
Statistical techniques to detect fraud include:
The main artificial intelligence techniques to detect fraud are:.