NCJ Number
121536
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 58 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1989) Pages: 18-22
Date Published
1989
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Criminal investigative analysis, formerly known as profiling, is a technique that might be applicable to computer criminals, although its usefulness may be limited if further research confirms studies indicating that these offenders are such an eclectic group that they cannot be clearly categorized.
Abstract
In addition, criminal investigative analyses are traditionally done on persons involved in violent and aberrant crimes. Nevertheless, computer criminals can bring financial disaster to both individuals and small businesses, and their corporate victims have characteristics like occupation and reputation that are similar to those of human victims. However, the differences between violent offenders and computer criminals present some new forensic problems to investigators. Computer criminals leave no traditional crime scene for investigators to photograph and examine, so investigators need to gather electronic trace evidence and examine logs of computer usage. Investigators should also review research on offenders and computer hackers. In addition, they should consider the criminogenic environments that Bloombecker has identified and the research indicating that the occupations most often involved in computer crimes are those with computer access. Figures and 12 reference notes.