Scene of the Cybercrime: Computer Forensics Handbook

6 Chapter 1 • Facing the Cybercrime Problem Head On

To be enforceable, laws must be specific. It is useful to provide a general

definition to be used in discussion, but criminal offenses consist of specific acts

or omissions, together with a specified culpable mental state.

In many instances, specific pieces of legislation contain definitions of terms.

This is necessary to avoid confusion, argument, and litigation over the applica-

bility of a law or regulation.These definitions should be as narrow as possible, but

legislators don’t always do a good job of defining terms (and sometimes don’t

define them at all, leaving it up to law enforcement agencies to ...