hing criminals. Until this legal issue can be worked out, the proper surveillance of criminals on the net won’t be assured. Netcrimes go far beyond fraud, hacking and viruses, violent crimes like rape, and murder also take place on the net. An article called “Cyber Killer”(2001) by Stephen Michaud of “Maxim” magazine detailed one such crime. John Edward Robinson was responsible for the murder of over 10 women. He found his victims on the net, Michaud writes “Robinson was an innovator-stalking his victim online, finding ways to exploit the Internet’s anonymity and its virtually endless supply of the weak, needy and twisted.” There are now ten less weak, needy and twisted women. Robinson became very close to his victims before actually killing them. He was great at developing interpersonal relations. He would often chat with his victims for months. Every subject from school, family and sex were discussed. The women began to trust him. He even got some of the women to work for him at his fake business and to move into an apartment he rented out. Most of them thought Robinson was a savior before ending up in a 60 gallon barrel as , “decomposing trophies of the murders in plain sight,”(Michaud, 2001). This killing spree went on for over 15 years. The police even admitted to doing a lousy job on this case. This heinous crime might have been prevented if more security and surveillance measures were used on the Internet community. To students, teachers, web surfers and businessmen with good intent, the net can be a safe and useful asset to contemporary life. However, to criminals with the intent to steal, cheat and murder, the Internet can be a handy tool to assist them with committing their unlawful deeds. The Internet has proven time and time again to provide criminals with the information they need to research a crime. The net has also given criminals a medium in w...
