Projects / Programmes
Nadzorovanje in kaznovanje v informacijski družbi: kibernetska kriminaliteta in nadzorstveni učinki informacijske tehnologije (Slovene)
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.07.00 |
Social sciences |
Criminology and social work |
|
Researchers (3)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
06979 |
PhD Renata Salecl |
Criminology and social work |
Head |
2008 - 2011 |
0 |
| 2. |
00413 |
PhD Alenka Šelih |
Criminology and social work |
Researcher |
2009 - 2011 |
1 |
| 3. |
26029 |
PhD Aleš Završnik |
Criminology and social work |
Researcher |
2008 - 2011 |
0 |
Organisations (1)
Significance for science
The research project has direct and indirect impact for the development of several scientific disciplines according to its interdisciplinary nature.
Its significance for criminology is reflected in its contribution to understanding of impacts of information technology (IT) on crime and crime policy. Modern western societies depend on IT to a great extent as IT enables digitization of many social processes, including crime and social reaction to it. The integration of findings from other scientific disciplines, including media, cultural, psychological, sociological and anthropological studies about transformative effects of the IT into criminology represents the first survey of its kind in the Republic of Slovenia. The project deepened knowledge in the newly developed “Crime and technology” research field that has gained a broad academic attention in the last decade (e.g. by establishing new scientific journals such as The Berkeley Technology Law Journal, Yale Journal of Law & Technology, The Masaryk University Journal of Law & Technology and by new post-graduate studies). With such integration of the other disciplines findings into the criminological agenda the research project contributed to much broader understanding of the impacts of the IT in the filed of understanding and reacting to crime.
A multi-stakeholder approach advocated in the project is reflected in cooperation with domestic and foreign partners. The conference “Cybercrime and Digital Forensics” was organised in cooperation with the Institute of Information Technologies Forensics, the Information Commissioner Office and the Post and Electronic Communications Agency of the RS. Researchers collaborated with a digital forensic company Cybex on the “Electronic Newsletter on the Fight Against Cybercrime”. The stakeholders involved were academics, criminal justice system decision-makers, regulators and the internet security companies. Such approach enables development of a more proportionate crime policy and fosters theory attuned to crime control practices.
The achievements of the research project are manifold: organization of two scientific events, publication of the scientific monograph “Crime and Technology”, several original scientific and professional articles published in national and foreign scientific journals, presentations of scientific results at more than ten international scientific conferences and active involvement in steering the international scientific programmes, such as COST Action IS0807 Living in Surveillance Societies and the COST Action IS0801 Cyberbullying.
The research project has direct and indirect significance for the development of substantive criminal law and criminal procedure and is indirectly relevant for the philosophy of criminal law. Several IT solutions in the criminal justice system were debated and it was claimed that some of them are inadequate from a civil liberties perspective (e.g. because they infringe on the right to privacy). The research project analysed cybercrimes as defined in the Criminal Code and showed the newest criminal procedure developments related to digital evidence. The indirect significance of the research project for the criminal law is reflected in the increased understanding of paths, ways and means of IT penetration into criminal justice systems.
The research project has significance for the surveillance studies that focus on technologically enhanced surveillance of our daily lives. The European criminology (e.g. exemplified in special edition of the European Journal of Criminology and new monographs published by the top scientific publishers such as in Willan Publishing, Routledge-Cavendish and Routledge) is focusing on sociological, legal and ethical impacts of increased monitoring of our daily routines and the research project added new insights in this scientific domain.
Significance for the country
DIRECT SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SLOVENIA
Short-term significance
The research project contributes to the goals set in the Resolution on the National Research and Development Programme 2006-2010 (ReNRRP) that states, amongst others, that it is necessary “to understand and control social processes and risks posed by the new technologies” with its critical assessment. The research results shows the impact of the information technology (IT) on crime and the reaction to it. It also gives recommendations to criminal justice system actors which themselves constitute an integral part of the introduction of new technologies in the criminal justice system.
Research project also meets the objectives set in the European Commission’s strategic framework for information communication technologies and media policy for the European Union from 2005 to 2010 (i2010 Strategy) and the eEurope 2005 Action Plan that encourage EU member states to ensure network and information security. It also contributes to the Strategy of Information Society Development in the Republic of Slovenia adopted (Si2010 for the period 2007-2010) that defines fundamental challenges and lists information and network security and fight against cybercrime amongst its top priorities.
The research project contributes to the development of Slovenia because it contributes to public safety and national security that is associated with the use of IT. The more Slovenia develops as an “information society” and IT becomes a backbone of its numerous social subsystems, the more we are becoming vulnerable to cyber attacks and incidents. But the research project stresses that criminal justice reaction to cybercrimes and other cyber threats should stay proportionate and attuned to all fundamental human rights. It should not only be used as a safety and security tool to “fight” new types of threats, but also as a tool for protecting the fundamental human rights and liberties. In this aspect, the research project significantly contributes to the implementation of the Resolution on National plan on the Prevention and Combating of Crime for the period 2007-2011, which identifies computer crime amongst the most important threats.
The research results that tackles IT impacts on the mechanisms of social control have direct and a short-term impact on all actors of the criminal justice system.
The study on cultural transformative effects of IT consolidates a number of insights about the social impact of IT. It thus influences cultural development and facilitates new research in the area of social, legal and ethical consequences of IT.
Long-term importance
The research project contributes to scientific excellence of the Slovenian research community, and thus indirectly to research competitiveness of Slovenia. The results contribute to information and network security and raise public trust in the information and communication networks and successively foster economic development in the area of IT.
INDIRECT SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SLOVENIA
Study on the cultural transformative effects of IT contributes to the understanding of the cultural developments of European countries. It allows coherent development of different social subsystems of the information society that would be attuned to all fundamental values of Western societies (e.g. democracy and the rule of law).
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
