The overlap between criminal justice and cybercrime lies primarily in that criminal justice is centered around crime, and cybercrimes are becoming increasingly prevalent. With technology becoming integrated with everyday life, criminals have found new ways to commit crimes. For example, rather than physically robbing a bank or other business poses far more risk than if someone with the right skills were to do so virtually. Another way criminals have advanced is by placing card skimmers on gas pumps. Criminal justice and cybersecurity are both disciplines that act in the interest of investigating and preventing crime. At the same time, some physical aspects of cybersecurity and cybercrime exist, particularly regarding the physical protection of critical hardware, like what is found in a data center. Because of the similarities between cybercrime and criminal justice, it is apparent that the two are intertwined and will continue to become more so as technology advances and criminals find new ways to attack. The ability of a cybercriminal to steal someone’s identity online or remotely access others’ bank accounts is a genuine concern for law enforcement. A massive concern concerning cybercrime is that the offender is generally provided with a certain level of anonymity for cyber criminals that they typically would not be able to utilize were they to commit a crime like theft in person.
In some cases, an individual can be almost entirely untraceable online. An excellent example is that one of the world’s best hackers revealed that the NSA was the only organization to discover his real identity. However, according to him, the NSA was more than happy to allow him to continue his work. This course has discussed the dangers of technology and its potential benefits. With the intertwining of technology with daily life leading to more opportunities for cybercrime, it is clear that criminal justice plays an essential role in cyber security.