Citation[]
United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Comprehensive Study on Cybercrime (Draft) (Feb. 2013) (full-text).
Overview[]
This Study was prepared with a view to "examining options to strengthen existing and to propose new national and international legal or other responses to cybercrime." The mandate came within the context of a number of other mandates and activities related to cybercrime and cybersecurity within the U.N. system. In this respect, the focus of the Study is limited to the crime prevention and criminal justice aspects of preventing and combating cybercrime.
The Study represents a "snapshot" in time of crime prevention and criminal justice efforts to prevent and combat cybercrime. It paints a global picture, highlighting lessons learned from current and past efforts, and presenting possible options for future responses. While the Study is, by title, a study on "cybercrime," it has unique relevance for all crimes. As the world moves into a hyper-connected society with universal internet access, it is hard to imagine a "computer crime," and perhaps any crime, that will not involve electronic evidence linked with internet connectivity. Such developments may well require fundamental changes in law enforcement approach, evidence gathering, and mechanisms of international cooperation in criminal matters.