David Buil-Gil
Biographic Data
| ID | 4199447 |
|---|---|
| NAME | David Buil-Gil |
| GIVEN NAMES | David |
| FAMILY NAME | Buil-Gil |
| SIGNATURE | BUIL-GIL D |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Manchester |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-7549-6317 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 22 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 24 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 22 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2020 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Once Bitten, Twice Shy? Understanding Repeat and Multiple Victimization in Business Cybercrime
This study examines repeat victimization (RV) and multiple victimization (MV) in business cybercrime using data from the 2024 UK Cyber Security Breaches Survey (CSBS). Drawing on Routine Activity Theory, particularly its VIVA framework (value, inertia, visibility, accessibility) and capable guardianship, it investigates how organizational characteristics, routine activities, and cybersecurity practices influence victimization risks. The study app…
The Effect of Counting Rules on Cross-National Comparisons of Homicide
Cross-national crime comparisons often rely on police-recorded data. Most frequently, such comparisons focus on homicide, as it is expected to be the crime type least likely to go undetected. This study examines how different statistical counting rules and legal definitions employed across European countries affect the reliability of cross-national homicide comparisons. We analyze homicide data from 41 European countries (1998-2022) obtained from…
The Structure of Unstructured Time and Crime: A Spare Time Model
This article examines the association of unstructured spare time with individual differences in crime and crime trends, highlighting the need for an unstructured spare time model in criminology. Much of what we previously understood as the direct association of traditional predictors of crime such as self-control, parental supervision, or peer influence with crime, may be mediated by individuals’ unstructured spare time. The article presents two …
I need to be convinced that I need to become smart’: Older adults views on consumer products with internet connectivity
Smart devices are increasingly being adopted in households, yet older adults appear reluctant to use energy-focused smart devices despite being known for being energy conscious. In this paper we investigate whether highlighting the benefits of energy-focused smart devices can motivate older adults to consider using these devices and avoid feeling unjustifiably disadvantaged compared to others. We conducted workshops with 15 community-dwelling old…
The Meaning of Missing: The Hidden Power of Police Data Recording Practices in Rape Cases
Missing values represent a major weakness of police-recorded crime data. This article examines missing data in rape cases recorded by five police forces in England and Wales between January 2018 and December 2020. A thematic analysis of semistructured interviews with police practitioners reveals factors that influence missing information in police datasets, and quantitative data analyses explore the volume and patterns of missing data across case…
The impact of Covid-19 lockdown on fraud in the UK
The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly altered socio-economic activities, human behaviors, and crime patterns. However, less is known about how the pandemic and associated restrictions affected cyber-enabled and traditional fraud. Here, we conducted a retrospective analysis using police-recorded crime data in the UK to examine the impact of COVID-19 restrictions and changes in human activity on fraud. Results indicate that following the onset of the lo…
Diversifying Crime Datasets in Introductory Statistical Courses in Criminology
Contemporary criminology issues are increasingly global, cross-cultural, and multilingual. Moreover, students from different cultural and national backgrounds will need to apply data analytics in their respective contexts. Crime data used in statistical courses should reflect this diversity, and in turn enhance the equality and inclusivity of the teaching curriculum. Supported by evidence-based pedagogic principles and evaluations, researchers ha…
The drop in worry about crime and its gender gap: Trends in England and Wales from 1998 to 2019/2020
Using data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, this research explores trends in worry about crime and its gender gap between 1998 and 2019/20. Worry about different types of crime follows a downwards trajectory, with worries about car-related crimes showing the strongest decline. Although both men’s and women’s worries decline over time, the gender gap in worry about crime reveals a narrowing trend for crimes that involve physical intera…
Estimating the Reliability of Crime Data in Geographic Areas
Crime data are problematic: Crimes that are never reported undermine its validity and differences in police recording practices affect its reliability. However, the true extent of these problems is not well known, with existing studies suffering from a number of methodological limitations. We examine the quality of police recorded crime data and survey-based crime estimates recorded in England and Wales using a robust latent trait model that effe…
Trust in the police and crime reporting: Reassessing assumptions in the context of violent crime in England and Wales
The reporting of crime to the police is crucial for an efficient functioning of the criminal justice system. It is widely argued that victims’ decision to contact the police is based on considerations of the anticipated costs and benefits of crime reporting. Scholars have previously suggested that victims’ attitudes towards the police may influence their perceptions of the costs and benefits associated with crime reporting. However, victims’ trus…
Do tourists report crime to the police? An exploratory analysis in Barcelona
Police-recorded crime data is commonly used to assess the crime risk of tourists and locals. Police records, however, are affected by different crime reporting rates across population groups. No research has explored the different crime reporting propensities of tourists and locals. We analyse two sets of surveys in Barcelona, a general population survey and a survey to tourists. Our results show that while international tourists are less likely …
The Impact of Measurement Error in Regression Models Using Police Recorded Crime Rates
The digital harms of smart home devices: A systematic literature review
The connection of home electronic devices to the internet allows remote control of physical devices and involves the collection of large volumes of data. With the increase in the uptake of Internet-of-Things home devices, it becomes critical to understand the digital harms of smart homes. We present a systematic literature review on the security and privacy harms of smart homes. PRISMA methodology is used to systematically review 63 studies publi…
Privacy challenges in geodata and open data
This article presents a discussion of the emerging ethical issue of geodata privacy in geographical research. The paper highlights the importance of considering challenges to privacy when working with geographically explicit data and explores explicit ways in which researchers and practitioners can be conscious of these issues. Through summarising the key problems in this area and presenting outstanding open research areas and questions from a se…
Estimating Crime in Place: Moving Beyond Residence Location
We assess if asking victims about the places where crimes happen leads to estimates of “crime in place” with better measurement properties. We analyze data from the Barcelona Victimization Survey (2015–2020) aggregated in 73 neighborhoods using longitudinal quasi-simplex models and criterion validity to estimate the quality of four types of survey-based measures of crime. The distribution of survey-based offense location estimates, as opposed to …
Comparing measurements of violent crime in local communities: A case study in Islington, London
Police-recorded crime data are prone to measurement error, affecting our understanding of the nature of crime. Research has responded to this problem using data from surveys and emergency services. These data sources are not error-free, and data from different sources are not always easily comparable. This study compares violent crime data recorded by police, ambulance services, two surveys and computer simulations in Islington, London. Different…
Offending Concentration on the Internet: An Exploratory Analysis of Bitcoin-related Cybercrime
Crime research has repeatedly shown that small proportions of offenders are responsible for large proportions of crimes. While there is a substantial body of evidence for this 'offending concentration' in connection to traditional offline crime, there is limited research assessing the concentration of offending for cybercrime. This research analyzes victim reports of Bitcoin-related cybercrimes (blackmail, ransomware, sextortion, darknet market f…
Empty Streets, Busy Internet: A Time-Series Analysis of Cybercrime and Fraud Trends During Covid-19
The unprecedented changes in routine activities brought about by COVID-19 and the associated lockdown measures contributed to a reduction in opportunities for predatory crimes in outdoor physical spaces, while people spent more time connected to the internet, and opportunities for cybercrime and fraud increased. This article applies time-series analysis to historical data on cybercrime and fraud reported to Action Fraud in the United Kingdom to e…
Towards a Place-based Measure of Fear of Crime: A Systematic Review of App-based and Crowdsourcing Approaches
Few researches have considered fear of crime as a context-specific experience. This article promotes a place-based theoretical framework for studying crime perceptions through presenting app-based and crowdsourcing measures of perception of crime and place as a robust methodological framework. A systematic review of published studies that use crowdsourced or app-based measures to explore perceptions of crime was conducted. From the 27 studies tha…
When do businesses report cybercrime? Findings from a UK study
Although it is known that businesses report cybercrime to public authorities at a low rate, and this hinders prevention strategies, there is a lack of research on companies’ decisions to report cyber victimisation. This paper analyses the UK Cyber Security Breaches Survey to explore factors associated with cybercrime reporting by businesses. Results indicate that the type of cybercrime is relevant to the reporting decision, and that the likelihoo…
Measuring the dark figure of crime in geographic areas: Small area estimation from the Crime Survey for England and Wales
For decades, criminologists have been aware of the severe consequences of the dark figure of police records for crime prevention strategies. Crime surveys are developed to address the limitations of police statistics as crime data sources, and estimates produced from surveys can mitigate biases in police data. This paper produces small area estimates of crimes unknown to the police at local and neighbourhood levels from the Crime Survey for Engla…
Cybercrime and shifts in opportunities during Covid-19: A preliminary analysis in the UK
The COVID-19 outbreak and the far-reaching lockdown measures are having direct and indirect effects on complex social domains, including opportunities for crime offline and online. This paper presents preliminary analyses about the short-term effect of COVID-19 and lockdown measures on cyber-dependent crime and online fraud in the UK. Time series analyses from data about crimes known to police between May 2019 and May 2020 are used to explore the…
Cybercrime and shifts in opportunities during Covid-19: A preliminary analysis in the UK
The COVID-19 outbreak and the far-reaching lockdown measures are having direct and indirect effects on complex social domains, including opportunities for crime offline and online. This paper presents preliminary analyses about the short-term effect of COVID-19 and lockdown measures on cyber-dependent crime and online fraud in the UK. Time series analyses from data about crimes known to police between May 2019 and May 2020 are used to explore the…
Trust in the police and crime reporting: Reassessing assumptions in the context of violent crime in England and Wales
The reporting of crime to the police is crucial for an efficient functioning of the criminal justice system. It is widely argued that victims’ decision to contact the police is based on considerations of the anticipated costs and benefits of crime reporting. Scholars have previously suggested that victims’ attitudes towards the police may influence their perceptions of the costs and benefits associated with crime reporting. However, victims’ trus…
Offending Concentration on the Internet: An Exploratory Analysis of Bitcoin-related Cybercrime
Crime research has repeatedly shown that small proportions of offenders are responsible for large proportions of crimes. While there is a substantial body of evidence for this 'offending concentration' in connection to traditional offline crime, there is limited research assessing the concentration of offending for cybercrime. This research analyzes victim reports of Bitcoin-related cybercrimes (blackmail, ransomware, sextortion, darknet market f…
Measuring the dark figure of crime in geographic areas: Small area estimation from the Crime Survey for England and Wales
For decades, criminologists have been aware of the severe consequences of the dark figure of police records for crime prevention strategies. Crime surveys are developed to address the limitations of police statistics as crime data sources, and estimates produced from surveys can mitigate biases in police data. This paper produces small area estimates of crimes unknown to the police at local and neighbourhood levels from the Crime Survey for Engla…
Estimating the Reliability of Crime Data in Geographic Areas
Crime data are problematic: Crimes that are never reported undermine its validity and differences in police recording practices affect its reliability. However, the true extent of these problems is not well known, with existing studies suffering from a number of methodological limitations. We examine the quality of police recorded crime data and survey-based crime estimates recorded in England and Wales using a robust latent trait model that effe…
Cybercrime and shifts in opportunities during Covid-19: A preliminary analysis in the UK
The COVID-19 outbreak and the far-reaching lockdown measures are having direct and indirect effects on complex social domains, including opportunities for crime offline and online. This paper presents preliminary analyses about the short-term effect of COVID-19 and lockdown measures on cyber-dependent crime and online fraud in the UK. Time series analyses from data about crimes known to police between May 2019 and May 2020 are used to explore the…
Empty Streets, Busy Internet: A Time-Series Analysis of Cybercrime and Fraud Trends During Covid-19
The unprecedented changes in routine activities brought about by COVID-19 and the associated lockdown measures contributed to a reduction in opportunities for predatory crimes in outdoor physical spaces, while people spent more time connected to the internet, and opportunities for cybercrime and fraud increased. This article applies time-series analysis to historical data on cybercrime and fraud reported to Action Fraud in the United Kingdom to e…
Towards a Place-based Measure of Fear of Crime: A Systematic Review of App-based and Crowdsourcing Approaches
Few researches have considered fear of crime as a context-specific experience. This article promotes a place-based theoretical framework for studying crime perceptions through presenting app-based and crowdsourcing measures of perception of crime and place as a robust methodological framework. A systematic review of published studies that use crowdsourced or app-based measures to explore perceptions of crime was conducted. From the 27 studies tha…
When do businesses report cybercrime? Findings from a UK study
Although it is known that businesses report cybercrime to public authorities at a low rate, and this hinders prevention strategies, there is a lack of research on companies’ decisions to report cyber victimisation. This paper analyses the UK Cyber Security Breaches Survey to explore factors associated with cybercrime reporting by businesses. Results indicate that the type of cybercrime is relevant to the reporting decision, and that the likelihoo…
Measuring the dark figure of crime in geographic areas: Small area estimation from the Crime Survey for England and Wales
For decades, criminologists have been aware of the severe consequences of the dark figure of police records for crime prevention strategies. Crime surveys are developed to address the limitations of police statistics as crime data sources, and estimates produced from surveys can mitigate biases in police data. This paper produces small area estimates of crimes unknown to the police at local and neighbourhood levels from the Crime Survey for Engla…
Estimating Crime in Place: Moving Beyond Residence Location
We assess if asking victims about the places where crimes happen leads to estimates of “crime in place” with better measurement properties. We analyze data from the Barcelona Victimization Survey (2015–2020) aggregated in 73 neighborhoods using longitudinal quasi-simplex models and criterion validity to estimate the quality of four types of survey-based measures of crime. The distribution of survey-based offense location estimates, as opposed to …
Comparing measurements of violent crime in local communities: A case study in Islington, London
Police-recorded crime data are prone to measurement error, affecting our understanding of the nature of crime. Research has responded to this problem using data from surveys and emergency services. These data sources are not error-free, and data from different sources are not always easily comparable. This study compares violent crime data recorded by police, ambulance services, two surveys and computer simulations in Islington, London. Different…
Offending Concentration on the Internet: An Exploratory Analysis of Bitcoin-related Cybercrime
Crime research has repeatedly shown that small proportions of offenders are responsible for large proportions of crimes. While there is a substantial body of evidence for this 'offending concentration' in connection to traditional offline crime, there is limited research assessing the concentration of offending for cybercrime. This research analyzes victim reports of Bitcoin-related cybercrimes (blackmail, ransomware, sextortion, darknet market f…
Do tourists report crime to the police? An exploratory analysis in Barcelona
Police-recorded crime data is commonly used to assess the crime risk of tourists and locals. Police records, however, are affected by different crime reporting rates across population groups. No research has explored the different crime reporting propensities of tourists and locals. We analyse two sets of surveys in Barcelona, a general population survey and a survey to tourists. Our results show that while international tourists are less likely …
The Impact of Measurement Error in Regression Models Using Police Recorded Crime Rates
The digital harms of smart home devices: A systematic literature review
The connection of home electronic devices to the internet allows remote control of physical devices and involves the collection of large volumes of data. With the increase in the uptake of Internet-of-Things home devices, it becomes critical to understand the digital harms of smart homes. We present a systematic literature review on the security and privacy harms of smart homes. PRISMA methodology is used to systematically review 63 studies publi…
Privacy challenges in geodata and open data
This article presents a discussion of the emerging ethical issue of geodata privacy in geographical research. The paper highlights the importance of considering challenges to privacy when working with geographically explicit data and explores explicit ways in which researchers and practitioners can be conscious of these issues. Through summarising the key problems in this area and presenting outstanding open research areas and questions from a se…
The impact of Covid-19 lockdown on fraud in the UK
The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly altered socio-economic activities, human behaviors, and crime patterns. However, less is known about how the pandemic and associated restrictions affected cyber-enabled and traditional fraud. Here, we conducted a retrospective analysis using police-recorded crime data in the UK to examine the impact of COVID-19 restrictions and changes in human activity on fraud. Results indicate that following the onset of the lo…
Diversifying Crime Datasets in Introductory Statistical Courses in Criminology
Contemporary criminology issues are increasingly global, cross-cultural, and multilingual. Moreover, students from different cultural and national backgrounds will need to apply data analytics in their respective contexts. Crime data used in statistical courses should reflect this diversity, and in turn enhance the equality and inclusivity of the teaching curriculum. Supported by evidence-based pedagogic principles and evaluations, researchers ha…
The drop in worry about crime and its gender gap: Trends in England and Wales from 1998 to 2019/2020
Using data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales, this research explores trends in worry about crime and its gender gap between 1998 and 2019/20. Worry about different types of crime follows a downwards trajectory, with worries about car-related crimes showing the strongest decline. Although both men’s and women’s worries decline over time, the gender gap in worry about crime reveals a narrowing trend for crimes that involve physical intera…
Estimating the Reliability of Crime Data in Geographic Areas
Crime data are problematic: Crimes that are never reported undermine its validity and differences in police recording practices affect its reliability. However, the true extent of these problems is not well known, with existing studies suffering from a number of methodological limitations. We examine the quality of police recorded crime data and survey-based crime estimates recorded in England and Wales using a robust latent trait model that effe…
Trust in the police and crime reporting: Reassessing assumptions in the context of violent crime in England and Wales
The reporting of crime to the police is crucial for an efficient functioning of the criminal justice system. It is widely argued that victims’ decision to contact the police is based on considerations of the anticipated costs and benefits of crime reporting. Scholars have previously suggested that victims’ attitudes towards the police may influence their perceptions of the costs and benefits associated with crime reporting. However, victims’ trus…
I need to be convinced that I need to become smart’: Older adults views on consumer products with internet connectivity
Smart devices are increasingly being adopted in households, yet older adults appear reluctant to use energy-focused smart devices despite being known for being energy conscious. In this paper we investigate whether highlighting the benefits of energy-focused smart devices can motivate older adults to consider using these devices and avoid feeling unjustifiably disadvantaged compared to others. We conducted workshops with 15 community-dwelling old…
The Meaning of Missing: The Hidden Power of Police Data Recording Practices in Rape Cases
Missing values represent a major weakness of police-recorded crime data. This article examines missing data in rape cases recorded by five police forces in England and Wales between January 2018 and December 2020. A thematic analysis of semistructured interviews with police practitioners reveals factors that influence missing information in police datasets, and quantitative data analyses explore the volume and patterns of missing data across case…
Once Bitten, Twice Shy? Understanding Repeat and Multiple Victimization in Business Cybercrime
This study examines repeat victimization (RV) and multiple victimization (MV) in business cybercrime using data from the 2024 UK Cyber Security Breaches Survey (CSBS). Drawing on Routine Activity Theory, particularly its VIVA framework (value, inertia, visibility, accessibility) and capable guardianship, it investigates how organizational characteristics, routine activities, and cybersecurity practices influence victimization risks. The study app…
The Effect of Counting Rules on Cross-National Comparisons of Homicide
Cross-national crime comparisons often rely on police-recorded data. Most frequently, such comparisons focus on homicide, as it is expected to be the crime type least likely to go undetected. This study examines how different statistical counting rules and legal definitions employed across European countries affect the reliability of cross-national homicide comparisons. We analyze homicide data from 41 European countries (1998-2022) obtained from…
The Structure of Unstructured Time and Crime: A Spare Time Model
This article examines the association of unstructured spare time with individual differences in crime and crime trends, highlighting the need for an unstructured spare time model in criminology. Much of what we previously understood as the direct association of traditional predictors of crime such as self-control, parental supervision, or peer influence with crime, may be mediated by individuals’ unstructured spare time. The article presents two …
Crime Patterns and Interventions (18 works) · Computer Science (12 works) · Criminology (10 works) · Psychology (8 works) · Business (7 works) · Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance (7 works) · Internet privacy (7 works) · Computer security (6 works) · Cybercrime and Law Enforcement Studies (6 works) · Geography (6 works)