Principles of Cybercrime

Digital technology has transformed the way in which we socialise and do business. Proving the maxim that crime follows opportunity, virtually every advance has been accompanied by a corresponding niche to be exploited for criminal purposes; so-called 'cybercrimes'. Whether it be fraud, child pornography, stalking, criminal copyright infringement or attacks on computers themselves, criminals will find ways to exploit new technology. The challenge for all countries is to ensure their criminal laws keep pace. The challenge is a global one, and much can be learned from the experience of other jurisdictions. Focusing on Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA, this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the legal principles that apply to the prosecution of cybercrimes. This new edition has been fully revised to take into account changes in online offending, as well as new case law and legislation in this rapidly developing area of the law.

Jonathan Clough is a Professor in the Faculty of Law at Monash University, Australia. He teaches and researches in the areas of criminal law and evidence, with a particular focus on cybercrime. In addition to teaching cybercrime in the Monash LLM programme, he has written numerous articles on the topic. He has also provided advice to government on cybercrime related issues, and was a member of the Commonwealth Working Group of Experts on Cybercrime.