{"id":88,"date":"2026-08-24T22:57:27","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T22:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/slp-template-draft\/?page_id=88"},"modified":"2026-10-16T18:56:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T18:56:18","slug":"service","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/rfholthus\/service\/","title":{"rendered":"Reflection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cybercrime is an interdisciplinary field that combines technology, criminology, and law disciplines (Repko et al., 2025), and throughout my studies, I have learned how these three disciplines work together.  I have gained an understanding of criminal behavior, analyzing digital evidence and applying knowledge to real world situations.  The artifacts in this portfolio highlight my growth in coding, my ability to research and analyze legal ideas, and apply my learning to real world applications. I’ve highlighted each skill I have developed, the challenges I faced, and what I would change looking back. These experiences and assignments have helped me understand how my education connects to my future career goals, which is working in Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC). They have also taught me the importance of effective communication, attention to detail, and emotional resilience, and applying what I have learned to help my community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wanting to expand my knowledge of computer code, I took prior knowledge of Java and learned python. The interdisciplinary nature of cybercrime is computer science and criminology. This is one of the two halves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first artifact was the first code I wrote. It was challenging switching to a new language, as I would often get them mixed up. However, having knowledge from a previous language gave me the foundation of the world of coding. I would change the expectations I set for myself looking back. I feel as though I could have reinforced my knowledge and use of code if I did not assume I already knew everything there was to know. In law enforcement, you cannot go into work assuming you know everything about a case or a person; this opened my eyes to a computer aspect that I can carry to my field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This second code is combining my writing and coding disciplines. I needed to effectively communicate the workings and applications of this code to someone who might have no prior knowledge of coding. I found it difficult to put my logic into simpler words instead of using field words that would require definitions. Officers and detectives communicate with the community and need to be able to explain in layman’s terms to appeal to and connect with citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My client-server code is a piece of code I am most proud of. This took a lot of hours to make. I started with the main menu and then saved the inputs to memory. I had difficulties connecting the two programs in my CMD, but with the help of my professor, I was able to get them to talk to each other. This wasn’t a part of the assignment, but to enhance this code, I would add a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to make it more pleasing to the eye. The assignment only required the raw code, but I had fun with emoticons in the menu. This is something that connects to my field, as I had adapted the requirements to form a reporting system (Sadeghi-Baszargani et al., 2024). This is a tool that some police departments use for minor crimes, and I made one for myself and possibly future implementations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I am really proud looking back at the progress I have made in coding Python. I think my client-server put in perspective how I can use code in law enforcement and how that can help my community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Legal Research and Analysis.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key aspect of cybercrime is legal research and analysis. Laws are always changing, and with that, technology is ever changing. These three examples show that I am able to explain complex issues across disciplines. I can compare behavior and think critically about the workplace and environments, and contextualize laws. They show I can combine technology, psychology, laws, and appropriately communicate my findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My paper on Psychological Comparison of Online and Offline Criminal Behavior is a strong example of cross-disciplinary study. I laid out the connection between psychology, criminology, and cybersecurity. Looking back, I would have changed cybersecurity to a discipline like information technology so I could analyze computers and the software and hardware rather than a double discipline like computers and security. What led me to this topic was learning about the aspect of anonymity and how that impacts online psychology. Anonymity lowers empathy and enables disinhibition (Attrill-Smith & Fullwood, 2021), which leads to higher online crime. As a paralegal, you need these analysis skills in order to effectively assist those who you work alongside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Creating a laboratory layout allowed me to think about future employment environments. Having to create a room with no prior knowledge of a digital forensics lab was difficult. I was not sure of the effectiveness of placement and dimensions. There was a lot of security we had to consider, both physical and online, and integrating this with what little knowledge I had was challenging. I got to see my first digital forensics lab during my internship. Looking back now, I was very generous with the space and the money available. This has helped me form an idea of a future space I would be working in and how workflow is affected by layouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The analysis of Section 230 gave me insight into analyzing legal information and finding the limitations. This piece mainly pulled from my legal and criminological knowledge. Leary believes that the law needs to be reformed to focus its protection on child exploitation. Tech platforms have found loopholes in the law, and Leary argues that it needs to be intended for its larger, original purpose: to protect children (Leary, 2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, these artifacts demonstrate my effectiveness in research, analysis, and communication. These items highlight the legal knowledge I have gained throughout my studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Legal Praxis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cybercrime<\/strong> is an interdisciplinary study,  but applying that knowledge in real situations is a challenge. These artifacts show that I can take what I’ve learned throughout my courses and apply it and connect them to legal work, child exploitation investigations, and digital forensics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My mock affidavit helped me understand how legal knowledge is applied in my field. The hardest part was making sure I hit every mark in an affidavit. I needed to make it useful. I felt like I was working as a paralegal because I had to organize information and consider how the evidence would be presented in a real case. My technical knowledge helped me understand the evidence to make my work more in depth and pay more attention to detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My financial child extortion presentation challenged me differently. Rather than logically or technically challenging, it was an emotional challenge. Researching local cases was difficult due to findings that were disturbing. I remained focused and remembered why I was doing this rather than letting that emotion prevent me from completing my research. Thorn and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) found reports that NCMEC averaged approximately 812 sextortion reports per week, which showed me how widespread this problem is; Hampton Roads is just a small factor. I would improve the presentation by using a more professional layout and clear visuals. This project tested my emotional resilience, which is important in ICAC even when it’s not explicitly listed in job advertisements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My internship reflection paper allowed me to connect what I’ve learned in the classroom with actual professional experiences. Drawing back to another artifact, my laboratory proposal, I got to see a digital forensic lab, which showed me how security, equipment, and workflow operate in the field. The Internship also exposed me to the responsibilities and challenges of law enforcement work, which reinforced my interest in pursuing ICAC work. If I could change one thing, I would ask more questions. Condensing my 150 hour internship was difficult; I had to decide what moments best represented my growth and explain their importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, these artifacts demonstrate and show my growth and application of legal, technical, and criminological knowledge. My internship made me feel most prepared for future ICAC work. It gave me first-hand insight into the professional field I hope to enter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back at my artifacts, I can see where I have grown and where I would like to improve. Coding taught me about technology and how we can apply this to law enforcement or legal research and analysis; strengthening my ability to understand and examine complex issues and legal practice allowed me to connect my knowledge to professional situations and recognize the challenges that come with that. Although there are things I would change about each assignment,  knowing where I need to adjust and fix shows my continuity in learning.  I know that I can’t work that will require critical thinking and emotional resilience, and I believe I’m ready for that type of work.  These experiences have given me a foundation to build on as I work towards my career goals of protecting children and protecting my community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Work Sited<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attrill-Smith, A., & Fullwood, C. (2021). Disinhibition and moral disengagement in cyberspace. In A. Attrill-Smith, C. Fullwood, M. Keep, & D. Kuss (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of cyberpsychology<\/em> (pp. 816\u2013830). Oxford University Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leary, M. G. (2025). The failed experiment of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act: How it facilitates exploitation and how it must be reformed. Villanova Law Review.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repko, A. F., Szostak, R., & Buchberger, M. P. (2025). Introduction to interdisciplinary studies<\/em> (4th ed.). SAGE. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadeghi-Bazargani H, Golestani M, Saadati M, Samadirad B, Azami-Aghdash S, Jafari-Khounigh A. A Community-Based Safety Reporting System; Development, Implementation, and Evaluation: An Experience of Safe Communities in Iran. Med J Islam Repub Iran. <\/em>2024 (12 Feb);38:14. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.47176\/mjiri.38.14 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thorn & NCMEC. (2024). Trends in financial sextortion: An investigation of sextortion reports in NCMEC CyberTipline data.<\/em> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Introduction Cybercrime is an interdisciplinary field that combines technology, criminology, and law disciplines (Repko et al., 2025), and throughout my studies, I have learned how these three disciplines work together.  I have gained an understanding of criminal behavior, analyzing digital evidence and applying knowledge to real world situations.  The artifacts in this portfolio highlight my… <\/p>\n

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