NCJ Number
213515
Date Published
2001
Length
17 pages
Annotation
After reviewing categories of crimes committed through the Internet, this chapter discusses the various ways in which the Internet is and can be regulated to prevent, investigate, and prosecute these crimes.
Abstract
Categories of offenses that can be committed through the Internet are the intentional disruption of legitimate Internet uses (trespass); the theft of money, intellectual property, and personal information; verbal and visual obscenity; and psychological abusive communications. These are behaviors by Internet users that harm other users of the Internet. Although some believe that the anonymity and global character of the Internet renders it immune to effective regulation to prevent and counter its use as a crime tool, there is currently a multilayered system of formal and informal controls that impact Internet crime. One category of Internet regulators is Internet users and user groups. Within any user group there can be a number of subgroups interested in specific issues related to Internet use. Largely transnational in membership and operation, these Internet user groups exert informal pressure that can change the behavior of Web sites they target. Internet service providers are responsive to user complaints about Internet abuses and can provide controls over what is transmitted to their users. Corporate security organizations also police the Internet. These organizations may serve particular corporate interests in devising security measures for the Internet or may offer software security services for profit to Internet users. Another level of Internet policing is state-funded, nonpublic police organizations. They may control Internet traffic coming into their countries under government policies. The final Internet policing category is state-funded public police, who can conduct proactive investigations into Internet crime that lead to criminal prosecution. 31 notes and 69 references