Technology and Crime Ruthann Osborne Everest University
Technology and Crime
Technology can be argued to have made the world more open, and for the most part, it has had huge benefits for society. However, with all its openness, it might lead to what can be described as unintended consequences. Therefore, the internet has changed the face of organized crime as it has opened up new avenues for criminal activities. For example, terrorists can be able to learn how to use sophisticated weapons on the Internet, information, that was in the past, not available (Wall, 2001). The criminal groupings are also able to use what can be described as lethal innovation by using modern information technologies such as satellite imagery as well as Geographical positioning systems in order to locate their targets (Wall, 2001). For example, the terrorist assault in the year 2008 that occurred in Mumbai was aided by technology and the internet, as the terrorists were able to create their operation centers where they were able to monitor global news broadcast, online reporting as well as social media in real time. The terrorists were able to use search engines during the attack in a bid to identify individual hostages and determine, based mainly on their backgrounds on who should live and who should die. The internet, therefore, gave the criminal grouping what can be described as an unprecedented situational awareness, as well as a tactical advantage of the government and the police.
Technology such as the use of robots by criminals is now becoming commonplace. International organized crime group are deploying robots as part of their main field operations (Pattavina, 2005). For example, drug traffickers are using robotic submarines that are used to deliver thousands of tons of drugs into the United States. Further, communication systems are being used by terrorists to understand the location of several target persons (Holt, 2011). For instance, it has been shown that there are several persons that have been targeted by terrorists that have been killed by mobile phone triggering bombs. This is the use of technology, as the persons use technology in order to trigger the bombs in the locations that they have set them up. This, therefore, creates a menace for the law enforcement agencies as there is no person physically that triggers the bomb and consequently, it becomes extremely difficult to try and trace the perpetrators of such a crime.
Illegal gangs are using the Internet to steal people's funds from their bank accounts by hacking. There have been worldwide reports
