Criminological measures to prevent criminal offenses in the field of information technology and ways to improve them

The article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the historical aspects of procedures for prevention of criminal offenses in the field of information technology, to the study of modern international standards for prevention of criminal offenses in the field of information technology, to the disclosure of general social principles of prevention of criminal offenses in the field of information technology, to the analysis of the process of formation of special criminological measures for prevention of criminal offenses committed with the use of information technology at the present stage. It is noted that despite the ongoing analysis of criminal offenses committed with the use of information technology from the perspective of criminology, the current reform of the entire legal system of Ukraine puts forward new requirements for theoretical and practical definition of the purpose and objectives of activities aimed at detecting and counteracting offenses committed with the use of information technology, studying the environment of these offenses with a view to constructively influence it, studying the persons directly involved in these activities, and also. The article also draws attention to a significant array of laws and other acts protecting information relations and interests of information technology users from criminal cyber offenses. These acts, as part of the general social principles of prevention of criminal offenses in the field of information technology, are based on programs for adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to information and other EU legislation. The article emphasizes that in order to effectively prevent criminal offenses committed with the use of information technologies in virtual social networks, certain types of control (both state and public) over social networks may be introduced at the legislative level. Based on the study, the author formulates a number of recommendations and arguments for improving the measures to prevent these criminal offenses.