Offender and offence characteristics pertaining to extortion by written threats

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide basic information about extortion by written threat. Cases were classified, and the relationships between the behavioral typologies of extortion by written threat and offenders' characteristics were examined. The data used in this study were collected from solved extortion cases that occurred in Japan between 2004 and 2012 (N=414). A correspondence analysis identified two dimensions among five behavioral variables: “anonymity” and “use of victim's guilt.” The object scores obtained by correspondence analysis were analyzed using a hierarchical cluster analysis. The results of this analysis indicated that offenders could be classified into three types: “low anonymity/low use of victim's guilt,” “low anonymity/high use of victim's guilt” and “high anonymity.” The relationships between each of these three types of offenders and their characteristics were also analyzed. “Low anonymity/low use of victim's guilt” offenders were under the age of 30 and targeted their friends/acquaintances. “Low anonymity/high use of victim's guilt” offenders were motivated by resentment and targeted their spouses/lovers or former sex partners. “High anonymity” offenders were in their 50s or older, extorting from companies to cover their cost of living or to get out of debt.