As a forensic psychologist with expertise in theoretical criminology and abnormal psychology, this writer has formulated a psychological, sociological and criminological construct for the growing dimension known as cyberspace. In this article, this writer introduces his theoretical paradigm and profile, iPredator, who he believes to be the modern-day criminal and psychological reprobate. This new breed of human predator uses information and communications technology (ICT) to locate, track and victimize their prey. iPredator is both a typology of online assailant and theoretic construct defining the methods online assailants use to target their victims. iPredator is a global internet predator construct and includes: cyber bullying, cyber stalking, cyber crime, cyber terrorism, sexual predators and online child predators.

In order to understand the theoretical construct of iPredator, the reader will benefit from first reviewing the definition. The definition of iPredator developed by this writer in 2011 is as follows:

iPredator: A child, adult or group who engages in exploitation, victimization, stalking, theft or disparagement of others using information and communications technology. iPredators are driven by deviant fantasies, desires for power and control, retribution, religious fanaticism, political reprisal, psychiatric illness, perceptual distortions, peer acceptance or personal and financial gain. iPredators can be any age, either gender and not bound by socio-economic status or racial/national heritage.

iPredator is a global term used to describe all online users who engage in criminal, deviant or abusive behaviors using information and communications technology. iPredator includes all online users engaged in nefarious and/or abusive online behaviors. Whether the offender is a cyber bully, cyber stalker, cyber criminal, online sexual predator, internet troll or cyber terrorist, they fall within the scope of iPredator.

The three measures used to define an iPredator include I. Self-awareness of causing harm, II. Intermittent to frequent usage of ICT to obtain, exchange and deliver harmful information and III. A general understanding of cyberstealth used to stalk and engage a target. When an offender profile includes these three characteristics, they meet the definition of iPredator.

A fourth criterion, not included in the triad above, is what I've termed iVictim Intuition (IVI) and reserved for profiling advanced iPredators. IVI is the aptitude to sense a target's online vulnerabilities, weaknesses and technological limitations increasing their success with minimal ramifications. In addition to having IVI, the advanced iPredator is skilled in cyberstealth using multiple covert strategies.

A term defined by this writer and unique to all iPredators is called Cyberstealth. Cyberstealth is a covert method by which iPredators are able to establish and sustain complete anonymity while they engage in online activities planning their next assault, investigating innovative surveillance technologies or researching the social profiles of their next target. When profiling or conducting an investigation of an iPredator, the level of cyberstealth complexity and online footprint for identification and apprehension is used.

iPredators use cyberstealth for vindictive, abusive, malevolent or criminal pursuits. They purposely strategize and plan how they'll use cyberstealth without the negative consequences of law enforcement or authority figure identification. The iPredator's energy involved in planning and designing cyberstealth strategies correlates with
their criminal, abusive or perverse objectives. For the child cyber bully, they tend to practice minimal online deception given they're fueled by needs of recognition and peer acceptance. Depending on their strategy of taunting, their cyberstealth may range from nonexistent to cyber bullying by proxy to predatory cyber stalking. At the advanced end of the cyberstealth continuum are online sexual predators, cyber criminals and those seeking to target victims motivated by violent and/or sadistic intent.

As a theoretic construct, iPredator includes the 5PV Model developed by this writer. The 5PV is a five factor theoretic model used to conceptualize all interactions between people who use information and communications technology (ICT) for benevolent reasons and iPredators who use ICT for selfish and/or malevolent reasons. The five terms pertaining to 5PV are iPredator, iPrey, iPrevention, iPreservation and iVictim. The 5PV Model is a representation of the five elements involved in all ICT and criminal, abusive and deviant interactions between online assailants and online victims.

1. iPredator: iPredator is a global term used to describe all online users who engage in criminal, deviant or abusive behaviors using information and communications technology. iPredator includes all online users engaged in nefarious and/or abusive online behaviors. iPredators are driven by deviant fantasies, desires for power and control, retribution, religious fanaticism, political reprisal, psychiatric illness, perceptual distortions, peer acceptance or personal and financial gain. iPredators can be any age, either gender and not bound by socio-economic status or racial/national heritage. iPredators are cyber bullies, cyber stalkers, cyber criminals, cyber terrorists and online child predators.

2. iPrey: iPrey is a term that represents all online users and the potential targets in an iPredator's reservoir of possible choices. iPrey can be low, medium or high probability targets for iPredator. Low probability targets practice internet safety and online caution. Medium probability targets are as aware as low probability targets, but more susceptible given their age, gender or mental acumen sought by iPredators. High probability targets do not practice online safety due to ignorance, thinking they are irrelevant or knowingly engaging in high-risk online activities.

3. iVictim: iVictim is a term used to describe online users at an increased risk for becoming a target of iPredator member of the unfortunate group called iVictim. iPredator seeks out and stalks those evaluated to be lax in practicing iPrevention. Everyone using ICT is a potential target, iPrey, of an iPredator., but can reduce their chances of being victimized by practicing internet safety and online awareness when exploring cyberspace. Not always, but the iVictim is an online user who is a high probability iPrey target.

4. iPrevention: iPrevention is a term used to describe online users that practice internet safety and self-awareness. iPrevention is a strategy, practice and conscious sustained approach to reducing the probability of becoming an online victim. These strategies involve a concerted effort to learn personal aspects and demographic information about us that would increase our chances of becoming a target. The goal is not to be a step ahead of iPredators, but to be keenly aware that they are always using cyberstealth methods to find and stalk their prey.

5. iPreservation: iPreservation is defined as an innate state of self-survival in an ICT environment. This concept is an active €state of awareness€ consistently observed by online users recognizing cyberspace is always an abstract concept and not a real dimension. iPreservation is also defined as an urge and/or motivation to institute a set of behavioral goals in order to lower the probability of becoming a victim of iPredator. If someone is consciously aware of iPredators, that individual experiences a sense of need to preserve their safety.

Social science experts and educators have attempted to enlighten and warn the online community, but their impact to date pales in comparison to the wrath and inevitable growth of the threat of iPredators and the growing number of iPredator groups. This writer seeks to educate online users before iPredators become a common fixture in the fast growing internet global community. Cyberspace represe