Specialization of criminal justice authorities in dealing with cybercrime

Purpose: This paper deals with specialized cybercrime units within the criminal justice system as one of the key elements of proper response to cybercrime. The author emphasizes the need for the establishment and/or improvement of such an organization with specific powers within law enforcement and prosecution authorities as well as within courts, in order to tackle problematic issues raised by computer-related crimes, especially the ones concerning investigation and prosecution of offences committed against and/or by means of computer data and systems, and carrying out computer forensics with respect to electronic evidence in general. Design/Methods/Approach: The author analyses the relevant international legal framework and various national legislation chosen as examples of good practice in order to present the justification and purpose of specialization, types of specialized law enforcement units, their organization, functions, strategic and tactical responsibilities. Findings: Investigation and prosecution of cybercrime and forensic analysis of electronic evidence require specific skills within criminal justice authorities. Therefore, it is advisable to set up or consolidate police-type and prosecution-type cybercrime units with strategic and operational responsibilities and computer forensic capabilities within cybercrime units or as separate structures. As for judiciary, dealing with computer-related crimes requires particular knowledge and skills, and where it is compatible with the legal system of the respective country, the creation of specialized courts may be considered. In addition to the existing legal mechanisms for dealing with transnational crime, the creation of an international court or tribunal that would have jurisdiction over individuals who committed the most serious cybercrimes of global concern may also be a good solution in order to prevent serious cyber attacks from going unpunished. Research Limitations / Implications: The results presented in this paper are to be seen as de lege ferenda proposals for the improvement of the existing legislation related to organization and powers of authority vested in combating cybercrime. Originality/Value: Despite the existence of a significant number of essays dealing with cybercrime, not many of them are concerned with tactical and procedural issues of investigation and prosecution of this specific kind of crimes. The results presented in this paper are de lege ferenda proposals for the improvement of the existing legislation related to organization and powers of authority vested in combating cybercrime. Accordingly, the value of this paper may be recognized in the analysis of legal solutions regarding law enforcement and prosecution response to computer-related crime, with the emphasis on specialization of authorities involved. Namen prispevka: Članek obravnava specializirane enote za kibernetsko kriminaliteto znotraj kazenskopravnega sistema kot enega izmed ključnih elementov ustreznega odzivanja na kibernetsko kriminaliteto. Avtorji poudarjajo potrebo po vzpostavitvi in/ali izboljšanju takih organizacij s posebnimi pooblastili tako v okviru organov kazenskopravnega pregona kot tudi v okviru sodišč, da bi odpravili težave, ki se pojavljajo v zvezi s kaznivimi dejanji, ki so povezani z računalniki, še posebej tistimi, ki se tičejo preiskovanja in pregona kaznivih dejanj nasproti in/ali preko računalniških podatkov in sistemov ter izvajanja računalniške forenzike v zvezi z elektronskimi dokazi na splošno. Metode: Avtorji analizirajo relevantni mednarodni pravni okvir in različne nacionalne zakonodaje, izbrane kot primer dobre prakse z namenom predstaviti utemeljitev in namen specializacije, vrste specializiranih enot za kazenski pregon, njihovih organizacij, funkcij, strateške in taktične odgovornosti. Ugotovitve: Preiskovanje in pregon kibernetske kriminalitete in forenzična analiza elektronskih dokazov zahteva specifična znanja v okviru organov kazenskega pregona. Priporočljivo je oblikovati ali konsolidirati policijske in preiskovalne enote za kibernetsko kriminaliteto s strateškimi in operacijskimi odgovornostmi ter zmožnostmi za računalniško forenziko znotraj enot za kibernetsko kriminaliteto ali kot ločene strukture. Kar se tiče sodstva, delo s kaznivimi dejanji, povezanimi z računalniki, zahteva posebno znanje in sposobnosti ter, kjer je to združljivo s pravnim sistemom posamezne države, obravnavo oblikovanja specializiranih sodišč. Kot dopolnitev obstoječih pravnih mehanizmov za obravnavo mednarodnih kaznivih dejanj in v izogib nekaznovanja resnih kibernetskih napadov bi bila dobra rešitev ustanovitev mednarodnega sodišča ali razsodišča, ki bi imelo jurisdikcijo nad posamezniki, ki so storili najhujša kibernetska kazniva dejanja globalnega pomena. Omejitve/uporabnost raziskave Rezultati, predstavljeni v tem članku, so predlogi de lege ferenda za izboljšave obstoječe zakonodaje, povezanih z organizacijo in močjo organov, pristojnih za boj proti kibernetski kriminaliteti. Izvirnost/pomembnost prispevka: Kljub obstoju velikega števila esejev na temo kibernetske kriminalitete jih veliko ne obravnava taktičnih in proceduralnih težav preiskovanja in pregona teh specifičnih vrst kaznivih dejanj. Rezultati, ki so predstavljeni v tem članku, so predlogi de lege ferenda za izboljšave obstoječe zakonodaje, povezanih z organizacijo in močjo organov, pristojnih za boj proti kibernetski kriminaliteti. Skladno s tem je vrednost tega članka mogoče prepoznati v analizi pravnih rešitev glede kazenskega pregona in odgovorov na kazniva dejanja, povezana z računalniki, s poudarkom na specializaciji vključenih organov.