NCJ Number
208428
Date Published
October 2004
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This paper identifies barriers to the effective investigation of transnational high tech crimes and offers recommendations to streamline future cyberspace investigations.
Abstract
As the use of computers and the Internet flourishes, so too has the commission of high tech crimes. Crimes involving computers are notoriously difficult to investigate and often have transnational elements. As such, police forces across the globe must cooperate at an unprecedented level. While the law enforcement use of computers and electronic databases has allowed vast amounts of information to be rapidly and broadly accessible, the sheer quantity of information makes its examination by officers an often daunting task. One of the first barriers to the effective investigation of high tech crimes across borders is the identification of suspects. Digital technologies allow individuals to disguise their identities in a range of ways, making the job of law enforcement that much more difficult. Other barriers include problems with criminal extradition when the suspect is a resident of a different country, problems with determining which jurisdiction should hold criminal proceedings for transnational computer-related crimes, and problems gaining data from computer systems. Recommendations for improvements include the harmonization of international laws and conventions regarding transnational high tech crimes, improving the technological capacity of cross-border computer crime investigation units, and improving information sharing within both public and private sectors. Boxes, table, references