Mark Button

Mark Button is a Professor of Criminology at the University of Portsmouth, leading the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and directing the Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime. His academic career spans over two decades, progressing from Lecturer to Professor since joining the university in 1997. Specializing in counter fraud, cybercrime, and economic crime, his research addresses fraud measurement, private policing, and victimology. Professor Button has advised governmental bodies like the Home Office and contributed to UN standards for private security regulation. He holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and is a Fellow of the Security Institute. His work intersects with media commentary on fraud and cybercrime, emphasizing practical solutions for crime prevention and policy development.

Education

• Bachelor’s in Politics, University of Exeter
• Master’s in Industrial Relations, University of Warwick
• PhD in Criminology, London School of Economics
• PgCert in Teaching and Learning, University of Portsmouth

Research Interests: Focus on cyber-frauds, victims of computer misuse, private policing regulation, and economic crime prevention. His projects include studies on scams targeting older adults, cross-border fraud strategies, and the psychological motivations behind fraud.

Key Projects

• Counter Fraud Cybercrime and Forensic Accounting Conference (2023–2025)
• Measuring Fraud to Overseas Aid (2022)
• Fraud Training for Korean Police (2023)

Awards

• 23rd Most Influential Person in Security and Fire (2016)
• Emerald Outstanding Paper Award (2018, joint)
• Korean National Police Agency Appreciation (2023)

Advising & Grants: Supervised 24 PhD theses, with grants from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Nuffield Foundation, and others. His work bridges academia and policy, influencing fraud prevention strategies globally.

Labs/Teams: Directs the Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime, fostering collaboration with international agencies on fraud and cybercrime research.