The 's Office Of Justice Program

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Introduction How we communication is in a liquid state and has become easier to communicate to our friends, circle of influences and the mass audiences. Social media portals like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and other sites, allow people from around the world to express their thoughts and ideas in real time and with a simple click its out there. For the most of the masses, the Internet is an amazing tool to exchange engaging dialog and express their freedom of expression in humanity. Unfortunately, as the majority of society is using their First Amendment rights in a non-malicious activity, there are those who choose to use it as a tool to intimidate and threaten others. Many argue that and challenge First Amendment platform as a…show more content…
Lastly, Catalano wrote that 75 percent of the victims knew their offender. (Catalano 2012) This paper will research the Federal code in place to protect the populous and compare it to that of the state statutes of Illinois -- my home state. Thesis Cyber stalking and harassment is a serious, unlawful activity by the federal government, all 50 states and U.S. territories. Although the definition of stalking differs between the federal and state jurisdictions, all have created criminal law to address cyber stalking and harassment. According to the DOJ report, state laws do vary in regards to the element of victim fear and emotional distress. (Catalano, 2012) The report said some states required victims must have been frighten by the act of stalking, while other states require a reasonable person to experience fear. At the federal level, 18 U.S.C. § 875(c) makes cyber stalking and harassment a federal crime, punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. The federal statue said it’s unlawful to transmit any communication in interstate or foreign commerce containing a threat to injure the person of another. Additionally, Section 875(c) prohibits the actual transmission of a threat. In 2011, Illinois statue (720 ILCS 5/12-7.3) defined stalking as: “person commits stalking when he or she knowingly engages in a course of conduct directed at a specific person, and he or she knows or should know that this course of
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