Legal Awareness, Crime Prevention, and Cybersecurity Knowledge among High School and Higher Secondary Students in Aizawl, Mizoram

Abstract

This study investigates the levels of legal awareness, crime prevention, and cybersecurity knowledge among high school and higher secondary students in Aizawl, Mizoram, India. It is based on a cross-sectional survey of 152 students from three educational institutions, selected through convenience sampling. The results indicate moderate awareness across all domains, with stronger performance in cybersecurity and case-based applications. Female and higher secondary students demonstrated significantly stronger knowledge and analytical skills, particularly in understanding legal rights and interpreting cases. In contrast, academic stream and socio-economic status showed no statistically significant influence. The findings underscore existing gaps in legal awareness and highlight the need for curriculum-integrated, gender-sensitive education to enhance digital and civic literacy among adolescents. These results provide new insights into youth legal and cybersecurity awareness in developing regions and emphasize the importance of early, inclusive education to foster informed civic participation and effective crime prevention in the digital age.