How politicians can tackle cybercrime both more effectively and more efficiently

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A more integrated approach to the prosecution of online crime is urgently needed

How politicians can tackle cybercrime both more effectively and more efficiently

Recently, research by RTL News that only in 1 percent of the cases of online scams a suspect eventually comes into the picture. This is partly due to the fact that only a quarter of all victims report the crime at all. This is most likely the result of the currently unsuccessful investigative practice. In the most favorable case, however, the detection rate would be no more than 4 percent. Relatively low compared to other criminal offences.

The police and judiciary are better equipped for classic criminal offences

The main reason for this is that the police and judiciary are insufficiently equipped to combat online crime. The police and judiciary are often organized around the fight against (less integral) classical crime. This includes murder, manslaughter, assault, kidnapping, burglary, robbery, theft or vandalism. The current investigative apparatus focuses strongly(er) on criminal offenses involving physical suspects at a physical crime scene. Cybercrime, however, concerns a completely new multi-disciplinary playing field for which the police and judicial authorities seem insufficiently equipped in advance.

Even though the police and the judiciary do their best, crime within the virtual domain appears to be more difficult to combat within the current working method. Especially for those originally equipped to fight crimes involving physical suspects at a physical crime scene. However, combating online crime involves completely new expertise and working methods, which are currently insufficiently integrated within common protocols and work processes.

Bundling of investigative expertise

Combating online crime therefore requires a more integrated approach and a different organization in order to be successful in the future. I want to go through this on the basis of the various expertises that are necessary to be able to organize the detection of online crime more successfully in the future.

(1) Digital administrative assistants

Every report of a criminal offense starts with the correct recording of the circumstances under which the criminal offense took place. In the case of online crime, securing logs, browser data and account data of the digital devices in question can prove to be of great importance for both the digital investigation and the furnishing of evidence afterwards. This requires digital administrative assistants who can use the offense device to form a good picture of the data that must be registered and further requested.

The current registration of online crime reports largely falls short in this area, as it typically does not thoroughly investigate device crimes. The main reasons are insufficient segregation of duties within the police (everyone has to be able to do a lot), the lack of clear feedback from the investigation and finally a lack of time. Insufficient segregation of duties in particular leads to inefficiency and a lack of time.

(2) IT detectives

Investigators with an IT specialism are needed for the digital further investigation of suspects of criminal offences. Although such detectives are already available within the police, they often work in isolation or on an island. The cohesion between the areas of expertise discussed above and below is often insufficiently established within protocols and work processes. The reason for this is that virtual investigative work is miles away from the less integrated classical investigative work.

Moreover, given the order of magnitude and the growth of online crime, the number of detectives with an IT specialism is completely insufficient. From a recruitment point of view, consideration should therefore be given to introducing abbreviated police training courses in order to accelerate the training of IT detectives.

(3) Banks

Cheating money from individuals or organizations is one of the main intentions of online crime. As a result, banks often occupy a key position in identifying and combating the perpetrators of online crime. They control an important tool that criminals and their cat catchers abuse to extort money from individuals or organizations. Cat catchers are those people who make their bank account available to (online) criminals for a fee.

Closer cooperation between banks and the various other areas of expertise can result in both earlier identification and a more constructive approach to abuse by digital transactions, small and large. In the current situation, however, banks are more often used as a final piece rather than as a central pivot in digital investigation and control.

(4) Insurance Specialists

In certain cases, insurance companies undertake their own investigative activities in order to recover damages under civil law where possible. Mutual coordination and knowledge transfer in this regard work like a double-edged sword. The police and judiciary can continue the criminal procedure, while the insurance company takes care of the civil procedure. The result is that online criminals and their cat catchers are tackled and discouraged on several fronts at the same time. Such a multi-disciplinary approach really gives substance to the social fight against online crime.

(5) Legal Supporters

Lawyers are deployed to provide effective support for all the aforementioned specialisms. They can support the various specialisms in making the best possible use of both permitted criminal and civil investigation and response methods. In fact, they form the vanguard of the Public Prosecution Service (OM) and, where appropriate, of the civil law approach. In addition, the legal assistants can be made responsible for streamlining protocols and work processes. Moreover, privacy legislation should never become a spoilsport!

Coordination and preparation of prosecution virtually under one roof

The different areas of expertise can learn a great deal from each other and substantially strengthen each other. However, this requires that joint coordination and preparation for prosecution come together virtually under one roof. Under that virtual roof, both the criminal and the applicable civil prosecution are then prepared. A more explicit segregation of duties according to the above specialisms can also make work processes more efficient. Such a more integrated approach will undoubtedly increase the chance of being caught on various fronts.

A more integrated approach to the prosecution of online crime is urgently needed

In summary, a virtual consortium of the aforementioned actors must therefore be set up to fully coordinate and prepare both the criminal and the applicable civil prosecution on a case-by-case basis. The results of this are then fed back to the Public Prosecution Service, the civil prosecution and the applicable specialisms. The social cross-pollination of such a working method cannot be underestimated.

This will undoubtedly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of detecting perpetrators of online crime by leaps and bounds. Although I do not want to commit myself to percentages, the detection rate of online crime could possibly reach between 5 and 15 percent in the future.

It is now up to politicians to realize the required legislation in order to finally give substance to such an urgently needed consortium!

[Fotocredits – Thaut Images © Adobe Stock]

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