Book Review: Crime and Technology: New Frontiers for Regulation, Law Enforcement and Research
| Published date | 01 May 2005 |
| Date | 01 May 2005 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1350/ijps.7.2.137.65771 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
Book review
The review that follows was written by Robert 'Bob' McCormack of the College of New
Jersey, Ewing, NJ, USA. Sadly we were notified just after Christmas that Bob had passed
away. Bob was a significant figure in the international criminal justice field. Not only was he
a long-standing executive of the Academy of Criminal Sciences, he was also the founder and
first chairperson of the International Section of the Academy. His knowledge of international
criminal justice matters was unsurpassed and he was a delight to spend time with. It is quite
possible that, had it not been for his influence and intellectual support, the International
Journal of Police Science and Management might never have seen the light of day. His
support, enthusiasm and kindness will be sadly missed.
Ian K. McKenzie
Editor IJPSM
Crime And Technology: New Frontiers For
Regulation, Law Enforcement And
Research
edited by Ernesto U. Savona
(Springer; The Netherlands; 2004; 142 pp; ISBN 1–4020–2923–3; Hardback; £53 ($89.95))
New technologies that have developed over
the past half-century have changed the
nature of the global marketplace through
their ability to provide wide dissemination of
new ideas, products and services to a here-
tofore unreachable international public. The
internet, video-transmission, mobile phones
etc function in a borderless world where pri-
vacy and anonymity, while not completely
protected, are for the most part guaranteed
through the use of encryption and the gen-
eral complexity of tracing individual identi-
fication to specific transmissions and
locations. In this freewheeling environment,
technology provides a vehicle for licit as well
as illicit business transactions.
This text, Crime and Technology: New
Frontiers for Regulation, Law Enforcement and
Research, edited by Ernesto U. Savona
focuses on ‘cyber-crime’. For decades,
illicit transnational banking practices
involving money transfers and tax evasion
have proved difficult for regulatory bodies
to cope with; international price fixing and
corrupt business practices have become
commonplace. Technology (and the lack of
a common transnational legal response) has
allowed organised criminal cartels to con-
duct their international business transac-
tions involving drug trafficking, money
laundering, traffic in human beings, the
illegal sales of armaments etc with relative
impunity. United Nations organs con-
cerned with crime prevention and criminal
justice have convened forums over the
years for diverse groups of formal and non-
governmental organisations (NGOs) to
address these problems.
International Journal of Police Science & Management Volume 7 Number 2
International Journal of Police
Science and Management,
Vol. 7 No. 2, 2005, pp. 137–142.
© Vathek Publishing,
1461–3557
Page 137
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