Cybercrime as a concept remains a point of contest and debate among lawyers, civil servants and scientists alike. The sources cannot seem to agree on which traits a crime should have to be considered cyber, both in terms of the nature and the means of the offense committed. The annotated bibliography this paper is referring to has examined some of the existing literature on these subjects, particularly in relation to ransomware, one of the most prevalent cybercrime types. However, from the point of biblical worldview the presented literature body has undeniable gaps. This assignment is focused on discussing the thesis statement from the biblical perspective and identifying the points at which the religious worldview would be the most fitting for the outlined problem examination.
When discussing the place, the God’s Word might have in the conversation about criminal justice, one must consider the differences between the articles on this matter and the spiritual texts. Although the biblical worldview, as commented by researchers in theology and sociology, is based upon compassion and forgiveness, the exercise of these principles does not always fit criminal justice’s purpose. The justice institute possesses an established and, unfortunately, much needed role in the modern society, combining the punishing and the reforming functions. Although deeply flawed, its mechanisms of persecution, judging and punishment secure a state of balance within the community. People are guided not only by their belief in the justice of the practiced law, but by the fear of punishment and imprisonment they might face for breaking it.
Although social activists of multiple fields have aimed to design a viable alternative to the prison and policing system in particular, so far they have been unsuccessful. As of now, the punishment-focused criminal justice model is the pillar of the American social safety, for better and for worse. Therefore, the introduction of the biblical point of view in the debates on the topic should be held within certain practical limits that ensure the social needs of restraining its dangerous members are met. Thus, the biblical perspective on the issues of criminal justice, cybercrime and ransomware that is discussed in this paper is a philosophical and spiritual, but not a legal one.
The articles discussed within the limits of the annotated bibliography are centred around the definitions of cybercrime and ransomware. Some of them elaborate in detail on the types of ransomware from a structural standpoint, as well as the potential inciting factors and solutions to the issue. Ransomware within this context refers to the type of cybercrime in which a criminal either encrypts or blocks a computer system, which they then promise to unblock after a sum of money is paid. It is essentially a form of blackmail that utilizes the digital ecosystem and its opportunities to advance itself, making ransomware a hybrid cybercrime type (Sabillon et al, 2016). One might easily come to a conclusion, that from the biblical perspective ransomware is a traitorous crime, since it goes against one of the God’s commands to His people, Do Not Steal. Any act of theft, even conditional and non-tangible, like is the case with ransomware, contradicts directly to the Christian teachings.
However, none of the articles discussed in the annotated bibliography addresses the ethics, morality or spiritual philosophy behind the process of dealing with cybercrime. Although the literature body comments on the damages caused by the rampancy of the issue, both financial and reputational, it does not connect its message to the God’s teachings. As stated above, the Christian perspective on the criminal justice and cybercrime might sometimes conflict the essential role these social systems play in the modern world. Yet, in the case of examining the dangers of the cybercrime and the possibilities of de-escalating the ransomware threat, the biblical perspective is, arguably, very helpful.
A Christian scholar might argue, that in the heart of the ransomware crime lies a human desire to accumulate wealth, which has been a point of debate for the spiritual scholars for a long time now. The annotated bibliography’s thesis on the prevalence of ransomware among the cybercrimes might be further enhanced and strengthened if the sinful urges of greed and envy were taken into account. The studies presented address the factual causes to the popularity of the ransomware crimes, such as the software weakness, flawed approach to social security and lack of computer understanding in white collar professionals. Yet they gloss over the underlying conflict between spirituality and desire for wealth that has been long unfolding at the Internet (Lazarus, 2019). Modern religious scholarship possesses an extensive research history on the ways of managing human ambition and material desire in ways that do not contradict the God’s teachings (Fischer, 2020; Chapman, 2020). And since many of these teachings align with the fundamental criminal justice laws, these two research fields may overlap more frequently than it seems at first.
Similarly, the biblical point of view on greed and greed management might be beneficial in examining the potential solutions to ransomware. Within the legal framework, a desire to commit a crime is viewed with an understandably aggressive caution. To elaborate, an inmate seeking a parole must prove to their guarding officers and the prison administration that they have been fully reformed by the institution. This includes, first and foremost, not being susceptible to any temptations of breaking the law again. Namely, the fact of temptation itself is recognized as a source of danger and need of further corrective works. The biblical worldview, however, accepts that there is a room for temptations and ill thoughts within a human mind and soul. It allows a person, inmate or otherwise, to find strength in their surroundings and the help of God (Fischer, 2020). In practice, the introduction of the biblical perspective into the ransomware debate avoids villainizing the impulse to commit it, while condemning the act on the most fundamental level.
In conclusion, the importance of the biblical worldview in the modern criminal justice institute is fundamentally underrated. At least for the culturally Christian societies, its conventions of sin, temptation and forgiveness might be extremely valuable to help people understand themselves and their place in a healthy society. Although it is important to be mindful of the boundaries between the spiritual and the legal, these two social spheres might enhance and enrich each other’s efficiency. In the modern world, the God’s teachings may not be seen as the only law. Furthermore, they are not detailed enough to provide answers to some of the more practical criminal justice issues, such as the punishment and persecution procedures. Yet the biblical perspective might still aid the criminal justice researchers and practicians to recontextualize some of its most prevalent crimes and their causes.
References
Chapman, N. (2020). Christianity and crimes against the State. In M. Hill, N. Doe, R. Helmholz & J. White (eds.). Christianity and Criminal Law, Routledge. Web.
Fischer, K. (2020) “Biblical Principles of Government and Criminal Justice,” Liberty University Journal of Statesmanship & Public Policy: 1(1). Web.
Lazarus, S. (2019). Where Is the Money? The Intersectionality of the Spirit World and the Acquisition of Wealth. Religions, 10(3), 146. Web.
Sabillon, R., Cano, J., Cavaller Reyes, V. & Serra Ruiz, J. (2016). Cybercrime and Cybercriminals: A Comprehensive Study. International Journal of Computer Networks and Communications Security, 4(6), 165-176. Web.