Cyberstings

Appropriate Circumstances for Cyberstings

Many criminals have been investigated by use of cyberstings, including murderers, stalkers, extremists, solicitors of fraud, gamblers, and those who deal in the black market sale of babies. Most commonly, however, law enforcement officers target sexually deviant behavior, including involvement in prostitution rings, child pornography rings, and child molestation. Individuals who operate and/or participate in prostitution and child pornography Web sites use screen names and passwords and feel confident that law enforcement will not detect them. Furthermore, the ability of the Internet to transmit data in an instant provides immediate gratification for deviant appetites of sex offenders.

Child molesters and pedophiles use the Internet as an avenue to communicate freely and anonymously with minors in sexually explicit ways. They can search for victims by accessing member profile information as it is available from various Internet companies, including America Online. Parents often do not know what their children are looking at or with whom they are communicating while they are on the Internet, and even if they are told, the perpetrators' identities are still unknown.

Cybersting Techniques

Depending on the type of case and situation, law enforcement officers use a variety of techniques when conducting cyberstings. Officers go on-line in an undercover capacity and conduct targeted investigations, arrange for buy/bust meetings with offenders, cruise the Internet for identification and apprehension purposes, or create their own Web sites to attract suspects.