Yahoo Boys, Yahoo Parents? An Explorative and Qualitative Study of Parents' Disposition Towards Children's Involvement in Cybercrimes

Cybercrimes have been acknowledged as inflicting high emotional, financial, and psychological pains on individuals worldwide. While studies have focused on the prevalence, offenders' demography and antics, vulnerability, victims' losses, and other correlates of cyber-fraud, researchers know relatively little about the disposition of parents toward their children's engagement in cybercrimes. Therefore, a qualitative study was conducted with 78 parents of youths involved in different cybercrimes, and a thematic analysis of the narratives was carried out. Findings indicated participants' acceptance, support, and involvement in youths' perpetration of cybercrimes. Online scam perpetrators were not only able to influence their parents' participation in cybercrimes, but the parents also learned the neutralization techniques of their children in excusing their acceptance of deviant behavior. Findings raise doubts about the potency of parents controlling the deviant behaviors of their children and adopting a family-based approach to curbing the growth of cybercrimes in Nigeria. Approaches toward stemming the tide of cybercrimes should consider the family and social network of the perpetrators for corrective therapy. At the same time, cultural norms and values that emphasize positive parenting should be entrenched within the Nigerian community.