Modest Proposal For Stopping Hackers: Get Them Girlfriends 566
kierny writes "Hackers/crackers who get arrested are typically male and young adults — if not minors. Why is that? According to research by online psychology expert Grainne Kirwan, it's because the typical hacker 'ages out' once they get a girlfriend, job, kids, and other responsibilities that make it difficult to maintain their hacking/cracking/hacktivist lifecycle. Could that finding offer a way to help keep more young hacking enthusiasts out of jail?"
Re:Agreed (Score:5, Interesting)
Taking care of peoples basic needs would stop a lot of bad behavior. Prostitution is negatively correlated with rape. Heroin maintenance programs reduce the damage caused by drug seeking addicts. A guaranteed basic income [spiegel.de] can dramatically reduce the problems associated with poverty.
Too bad our society cares more about appearing "tough on crime" than effective solutions to our problems.
HEY! Not cool. (Score:4, Interesting)
First, implying that this is only a problem for men is stupid. Women without responsibilities get into trouble too, often with consequences far beyond simple criminal mischief. Secondly, getting saddled with a relationshp does decrease the tendancy towards crime -- but then so does getting a car, a job, a house, etc. It'd be more accurate to say that criminals commit crime because they have less to lose.
That's a terribly obvious thing to say, and it also provides no insight into what to do to achieve it. Should we institute arranged marriages? A chicken in every pot, and a car in every garage? Should we force employers to hire people with a criminal record? Please, do tell. I'm all ears.
Re:Discouraging/dumb title (Score:2, Interesting)
Also, I know a lot of openly gay hackers, so I find the title of the article dumb for that reason as well.
Yeah. Hi. The only reason I've stayed on with IT is because I am gay. Going into science and technology fields has the same effect on society's perception of a woman's femininity as going into fashion design does for men. Imagine Chuck Norris in fashion design. It hurts, doesn't it? Most of us women in IT go to some lengths to avoid disclosing it in casual gatherings. It's often the "great reveal" in a relationship... Most men are intimidated by smart women, and so most women who are smart try to conceal it.
Re:HEY! Not cool. (Score:4, Interesting)
It'd be more accurate to say that criminals commit crime because they have less to lose.
Except the biggest criminals are the wealthiest. I did the math a while back, and the wealth lost in the 2008 financial crisis exceeds that of *all property crime put together by several orders of magnitude*.
If you are concerned about crime, focus at the top. Politicians and CEOs do far more harm to this country than drug addicts and gang bangers.
Hackers? Heck, it worked on terrorists. (Score:4, Interesting)
The best way to eliminate terrorists was actually invented by Yasser Arafat and some of his advisors, who themselves had invented Black September, the terrorist group that murdered Israeli athletes at the 72 Olympics in Munich:
http://m.theatlantic.com/past/docs/issues/2001/12/hoffman.htm [theatlantic.com]
When they weren't needed any more...they married them off. Told them to go into deep cover in Jordan, found pretty Palestinian girls to marry the "heroes", have kids, be "sleeper agents"...and never gave them a mission. Interviewed years later, few were willing to accept one any more.
Re:The Girlfriend(tm) (Score:5, Interesting)
And you are right, marriage - and especially children - creates a lot of problems to deal with. So I can see how this would stop hacking. On the other hand, good luck with that. You are suggesting going up to a girl and saying, "Hey, you're pretty cute. How would you like to date an anti-social computer geek that has learned to relate to women through 4chan?"
Re:Wow (Score:5, Interesting)
So, here's the question:
Did your girlfriend stop you hacking, or did something else stop your hacking and the increased social interaction landed you the girlfriend?
Re:The Girlfriend(tm) (Score:4, Interesting)
Just because my partner tolerates all the stupid shit I do, and I tolerate hers, does not automagically make us happy. It just means we're complacent. I see the traditional long-term monogamous relationship as a bizarre vestigial custom. We don't know why we do it, we just do. Social pressures and all... Yet there are some of us who might have grander aspirations than breeding and feeding.
Sure, relationship issues can be overcome, just like any other problems in life. The real question is thus: what would you rather spend your life doing ? Tiptoeing around your partner's family-of-origin-rooted insecurities, or mastering the fine art of craft brewing ? There are only so many days in a life, and if someone prefers not to spend them in emotionally-charged conundrums, I see nothing wrong with that choice.
Re:The Girlfriend(tm) (Score:5, Interesting)
I read one of those "human interest" interviews once with some 100-year-old couple that had been married for about a millenium. They asked the couple if they had ever considered divorce.
The couple replied "Divorce? Never! Murder, sure, but never divorce." :-)
Re:Wow (Score:5, Interesting)
Did your girlfriend stop you hacking, or did something else stop your hacking and the increased social interaction landed you the girlfriend?
In my case, she didn't do anything specific to stop my hacking, beyond existing. We have only a finite amount of time. Given the choice between hacking (it was called "cracking" back then, but whatever) or fucking a hot girl, I chose fucking.
But isn't it just that way with us? The little head always overriding the big one?