What Impact Does Jurisdiction Have in Computer Crime?
Computer crimes may be subject to federal or state laws, or a combination of both. Even computer crimes falling solely under the laws of either the federal government or a single state may fall under the jurisdiction of multiple law enforcement agencies.
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Federal Investigative Law Enforcement Agencies
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The main federal law enforcement agencies that investigate domestic computer crime are the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
FBI
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The FBI has jurisdiction over many computer crimes. The FBI has exclusive jurisdiction over Internet harassment, and shared jurisdiction over computer intrusion or hacking, password trafficking, child pornography or exploitation, Internet fraud and SPAM, Internet bomb threats, and trafficking in explosive or incendiary devices or firearms over the Internet.
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance. For matters at the federal, state, and local levels, the IC3 provides a central referral mechanism for complaints involving Internet-related crimes.
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U.S. Secret Service
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The Secret Service has exclusive jurisdiction over counterfeiting of currency, and shared jurisdiction over computer intrusion or hacking, password trafficking, and Internet fraud and SPAM (through their Financial Crimes Division).
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
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ICE, through its Cyber Crimes Center, investigates a variety of Internet-based crimes. The Child Exploitation Section investigates individuals and groups who use chat rooms, websites, newsgroups and direct trading to distribute child pornography across the border, or who travel abroad for the purpose of having sex with minors. Other divisions investigate money laundering, smuggling, drug trafficking, illegal arms sales, identity theft, intellectual property theft and immigration violations that are organized or conducted via the Internet.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service
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The Postal Inspection Service has jurisdiction over computer crimes that also use the mail. The Postal Inspection Service has jurisdiction over child exploitation and Internet fraud matters that also involve the mail.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
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The ATF has shared jurisdiction over Internet bomb threats and trafficking in explosive or incendiary devices or firearms over the Internet.
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References
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