Using digital open source and crowdsourced data in studies of deviance and crime

As the internet has become cheaper, faster, and more widely used, the amount of data generated by people has increased exponentially. Much of the data is provided by users’ activities, often mundane tasks, like making purchases, engaging in exercise routines, and consuming streaming content. In some cases, these tasks are leveraged by criminal actors; in others, these tasks include criminal activities. Using data to explore patterns of offending and victimization is critical to understanding crime trends in the digital age. This chapter explores how researchers have used open source data collection techniques and have solicited data using crowdsourcing to develop viable datasets to explore social scientific enquiries. These techniques illustrate that it is increasingly possible to gather and solicit information and analytical help to explore deviance, victimization, social taboos, and behaviors that are often kept out of public view but nonetheless impact society.