Cyber-Crimes Against U.S. Citizens & the Governments Actions, Essay Example

The amount of internet use is astronomical in the United States. Nearly every household has a personal computer and hundreds of thousands are hooked to the internet via their phone. While this has created a benefit for individuals, families and businesses there are some issues that are less than desirable. Because people are so attached to their newfound technology, they often divulge information across those means that allow criminals to have access. The prevalence of cyber-crime has become a real concern in the last several years. Not only is individuals personal information, such as banking records and credit card records being breached, but also has opened the door for a potential of personal harm. The numerous chat rooms and dating sites have provided an opportunity for pedophiles and other criminals to prey upon unassuming victims. So what is the United States government doing to protect individuals against these new types of crimes and is it enough?

There are a number of United States local and federal governmental agencies that are taxed with preventing, investigating and punishing those that engage in crimes by electronic means. While there are laws that address cyber-crimes there are a number of problems that inhibit the agency’s ability to effectively protect citizens against these types of crimes. Because of the privacy and anonymity of the internet it is oftentimes very difficult to trace or locate the individual that is committing the crime. In many cases the individual may be in another state or country, which poses geographical boundaries and results in different laws. The crimes can be considered a felony when they are committed across state lines, however getting the various agencies to locate, investigate and punish are sometimes next to impossible. To further complicate the issues, the FBI, will not investigate cases that are not of a larger scale. This leaves the local law enforcement jurisdiction to punish and in some cases they are not able to press federal charges. This leaves a disconnection between law enforcement and the federal agency, the criminal on the street and the victim out of luck.

I do not feel that the United States is doing enough to decrease the prevalence and severity of cyber-crimes against individuals. There needs to be some type of function or measure to ensure that individuals are punished regardless of the size of the case. If that means allowing the local law enforcement to handle those cases, then by all means make that a possibility. Internet providers and information should not be protected when there are crimes committed and that would allow law enforcement to find the criminal quicker and more effectively. Because of the severity and potential downfall of society based on cyber-crimes, both law enforcement and the general public need to be educated about the issues. Individuals need to work to inform themselves about the issues and potential dangers of the internet as well as doing business over electronic forms of communication. If everyone works together, they may possibly see a decrease in cyber-crimes and make the internet a lot safer form of communication.