Reconceptualising organised (cyber)crime: The case of ransomware

The concept of organised cybercrime has been the subject of much debate over the last decade. Many researchers who have applied scholarly definitions of organised crime to cybercriminal groups have concluded that such groups are not “organised criminal groups” and do not engage in “organised crime”. This paper adopts a different perspective to argue that certain cyber-criminal groups involved in ransomware can and should be considered organised crime if a more contemporary and flexible framework for conceptualising organised crime is adopted. We make this argument using three primary domains of organised crime first described by von Lampe: criminal activities, offender social structures, and extra-legal governance. We narrow in on the concepts of violence and extra-legal governance in particular as they have been interpreted to hold significant differences for criminal groups operating in physical and digital domains. The paper argues that it is time to move on from criminological debates regarding whether organised cybercrime can exist to focus on the many rich questions that researchers can take from organised crime scholarship and apply to cyber-criminal groups. We put forward a reconceptualisation of organised cybercrime towards this end

Table_1_Mental health and life satisfaction among those advised to shield during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK: a secondary analysis of the Understanding Society longitudinal study.DOCX

IntroductionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, those considered most vulnerable to adverse outcomes from infection were designated “clinically extremely vulnerable” and advised to “shield.” This involved prolonged confinement at home with strict limits on face-to-face contact, beyond national restrictions. Shielding ended in September 2021 and was considered likely to have harmed mental health and wellbeing. As the UK moved toward a new phase of “living with COVID-19” the mental health and wellbeing experiences of those advised to shield may have diverged from the general population.MethodsThis study is a secondary analysis of nine “COVID-19 Survey” waves of Understanding Society, a longitudinal study of UK participants covering April 2020 to September 2021 alongside pre-pandemic baseline data. The prevalence of clinically significant psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire 12) and low life satisfaction were examined at each wave for participants with longitudinal responses across all waves, stratified by receipt of shielding guidance (Received n = 410, Not received n = 6,878). Mixed effects regression modeling examined associations between shielding guidance receipt and mental health and life satisfaction when adjusting for potential confounders including age and sex, pre-pandemic mental health/life satisfaction, and loneliness.ResultsThose who received shielding guidance were more likely to experience poor mental health and low life satisfaction during the pandemic. However, this largely reflected differences in pre-pandemic baselines. Variation between waves broadly coincided with the changing burden of COVID-19 and associated restrictions, with similar patterns regardless of shielding guidance receipt. Regression modeling combining data across all waves indicated that receipt of shielding guidance did not independently predict adverse outcomes. However, poor pre-pandemic mental health and low life satisfaction, and frequent loneliness, as well as demographic factors including sex and age, consistently predicted adverse pandemic mental health and wellbeing.DiscussionWhile those who received shielding guidance did on average experience poorer mental health and life satisfaction during the pandemic, this study suggests this largely reflects existing inequalities. Drawing on data throughout the shielding program, it addresses an existing evidence gap. These findings reinforce the importance of addressing existing mental health inequalities in the recovery from the current pandemic and for future preparedness.</p

Data Variables

This file lists and describes all the variables used in the final analysis

NMDS_SpeciesData

Data on plot, season, treatment, year, survey area, species, and mean individuals/10ha surveyed in Clay Co. Mississippi, USA (2011-2013) used for NMDS analyses. An explanation of the variables is included in the supplementary file "Data_variables_Conkling et al.rtf"

NMDS_VisObstructData

Data on plot, season, and mean vegetation visual obstruction (cm) by year collected in Clay Co. Mississippi, USA (2011-2013) used for NMDS analyses. An explanation of the variables is included in the supplementary file "Data_variables_Conkling et al.rtf"

ModelData

Data on season, treatment, year, survey area, mean vegetation visual obstruction, relative density, weighted hazard scores, and weighted conservation values for avian species across all treatments by season in Clay Co. Mississippi, USA (2011-2013). An explanation of the variables is included in the supplementary file "Data_variables_Conkling et al.rtf"

Assessing the risk of re-fracture related to the percentage of partial union in scaphoid waist fractures.

Aims There is ambiguity surrounding the degree of scaphoid union required to safely allow mobilization following scaphoid waist fracture. Premature mobilization could lead to refracture, but late mobilization may cause stiffness and delay return to normal function. This study aims to explore the risk of refracture at different stages of scaphoid waist fracture union in three common fracture patterns, using a novel finite element method. Methods The most common anatomical variant of the scaphoid was modelled from a CT scan of a healthy hand and wrist using 3D Slicer freeware. This model was uploaded into COMSOL Multiphysics software to enable the application of physiological enhancements. Three common waist fracture patterns were produced following the Russe classification. Each fracture had differing stages of healing, ranging from 10% to 90% partial union, with increments of 10% union assessed. A physiological force of 100 N acting on the distal pole was applied, with the risk of refracture assessed using the Von Mises stress. Results Overall, 90% to 30% fracture unions demonstrated a small, gradual increase in the Von Mises stress of all fracture patterns (16.0 MPa to 240.5 MPa). All fracture patterns showed a greater increase in Von Mises stress from 30% to 10% partial union (680.8 MPa to 6,288.6 MPa). Conclusion Previous studies have suggested 25%, 50%, and 75% partial union as sufficient for resuming hand and wrist mobilization. This study shows that 30% union is sufficient to return to normal hand and wrist function in all three fracture patterns. Both 50% and 75% union are unnecessary and increase the risk of post-fracture stiffness. This study has also demonstrated the feasibility of finite element analysis (FEA) in scaphoid waist fracture research. FEA is a sustainable method which does not require the use of finite scaphoid cadavers, hence increasing accessibility into future scaphoid waist fracture-related research.</p

VisObstructData_SeasonTrtYear

Data on season, treatment, and mean and 95% CIs for vegetation visual obstruction (cm) by year collected in Clay Co. Mississippi, USA (2011-2013) used for NMDS analyses. An explanation of the variables is included in the supplementary file "Data_variables_Conkling et al.rtf"

JAPPL-2017-01144_Data

Included is the data that went in to each of our models described in the manuscript. Included in data are: counts of bobwhite, aggregated densities of conservation fields without specific spatial information (i.e., no x y coordinates), and distance sampling metrics needed to run the model

Demographic characteristics of control and adenotonsillectomy children.

<p>*denotes <i>p</i><0.05, †<i>p</i><0.005 and ‡<i>p</i><0.001.</p