IP Outreach Research > IP Crime
Reference
| Title: | An Application of Deterrence Theory to Software Piracy |
| Author: | George E Higgins, Abby L Wilson and Brian D Fell [University of Louisville] |
| Source: | Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture 12, no. 3: 166-184 |
| Year: | 2005 |
Details
| Subject/Type: | Piracy |
| Focus: | Software |
| Country/Territory: | United States of America |
| Objective: | To examine the effect of deterrence measures on software piracy. |
| Sample: | 382 college students at a south-eastern university |
| Methodology: | Self-report questionnaire |
Main Findings
The following deterring factors were found to be most effective in reducing software piracy: certainty (an individual’s belief that this or her criminal behaviour will be detected), shame (self-disapproval/self-stigma), and family disapproval (social disapproval/social stigma). Severity of punishment, however, was not an important deterrent.
Furthermore, the study found that low self-control (inability of the individual to resist a temptation toward criminal behaviour/piracy when an opportunity for it exists) and deviant peer association (association with deviant/criminal/pirating peers increases the likelihood or inclination for criminal behaviour/piracy) are positively linked to software piracy.
The authors give the following policy recommendations for law enforcement and legislators: develop proper procedures to detect and investigate piracy cases to increase the certainty of apprehension; assist law enforcement by passing a law requiring educational institutions to report every violation; ensure proper training, funding and equipment for prosecutor offices.
Educational institutions should: provide orientation sessions (making students aware of the certainty of software piracy apprehension, emphasising the shame that could arise from the detection and prosecution of software piracy, indicating the social embarrassment felt when an offender’s family is notified of software piracy infringements and the penalties that come with such criminal behaviour); provide pop-up windows on students’ computers reminding them of these issues after the orientation sessions; provide students with written literature about issues pertaining to software piracy (with a view to changing the culture thinking that software piracy is proper behaviour).
[Date Added: Oct 22, 2008 ]