The birth of social networking did not originate with MySpace or
Facebook. In fact, social networking websites began in 1978 based on
the innovation of an IBM employee. Since that time, the appearance
and use of social networking are changing on a daily basis. The ability
to share ideas and communicate are two of the many uses of social
networking websites, and they are continuing to evolve in appearance
and purpose. With that said, with innovation comes deviance, and the
social networking phenomenon has skyrocketed the ability to commit
crime online.
The purpose of this book is to provide the reader with a thorough
examination of how social networking criminality has affected our
criminal justice system. Experts in the field have provided a comprehensive
overview of the emergence of social networking, the types of crimes
committed, and how the system is handling these offenders. Key concepts,
statistics, and legislative histories are discussed in every chapter.
It is the desire of the editors to educate and enlighten a wide audience,
from those who are completely unfamiliar with the topic as an entirety
to individuals who need more specific information on a particular type
of social networking criminality. This text should be a useful guide to
students, academics, and practitioners alike.