This course will provide students with an overview of computer crime, the legislative responses to computer crime, and the issues encountered by police when enforcing laws in cyberspace. Emphasis is on how communication technologies can be targets of crime, instruments of crime, and important sources of criminal evidence. The global reach of the Internet, the low marginal cost of online activity, and the relative anonymity of users have contributed to a wide escalation in cybercrimes. Consequently, information and communications technologies (ICT) are being increasingly employed to instigate threats to global civil society. This course provides an overview of cybercrime and the digital law enforcement practices put in place to respond to them. The course will focus on the types and extent of current cybercrimes, how the justice system responds to these crimes, the various constitutional protections afforded to computer users, the law and policies that govern cybercrime detection and prosecution, and related technologies.

Students completing this course will be able to: 

• Define and describe the nature and scope of cybercrime and computer forensics;
• Develop knowledge of major incidents of cybercrime and their resulting impact;
• Analyze and discuss national and global digital law enforcement efforts;
• Critically consider specific laws and policies governing cybercrime detection and prosecution;
• Identify and evaluate the specific technology that facilitates cybercrime and digital law enforcement;
• Critically evaluate the impact of cybercrime on information professions.
• Differentiate between privacy and policy
• Evaluate the technical, social, financial, and legal impact of cybercrime on global commerce