Cybersecurity and cybercrime overlap with many different disciplines including criminal justice. Methods used for criminal justice cases, observation, understanding, and prevention can be used for cyber crimes as well. It is seen that cybersecurity courses are offered in criminal justice programs. And the opposite is true as well, there are sometimes criminal justice courses or influences in cyber security programs. The number of cross studies and programs is low though. Only one fifth of either programs involve studies and courses from the other. This number is growing but a slow pace. Despite the slow growth of involvement from the two disciplines, it is encouraged that professionals from both sides learn and cross study as is it can provide an advantage. This advantage is necessary as we see more conventional crimes that where once made outside of the digital world begin to occur inside the cyber sphere. These include fraud, embezzlement, and bullying. Criminal Justice professionals can enter cyber careers using skills previously learned in their current profession. They can provide leadership, management, and advocacy. They can also collect counter intelligence as well. Digital forensics is a prime example of these two disciplines intersecting. Forensics was born in criminal justice and digital forensics adopts those tactics used and applies them to a cyber situation.
Both disciplines adopt and cross research with other fields of study as well. Psychology, sociology and philosophy play major rolls in how cases and studies can gain more knowledge and understanding. All five studies combined can create a much fuller picture as to the who, what, when, where, and why cyber crimes are committed. Understanding hackers and their communities’ has to be a fully integrated approach in order to be efficient and effective in stopping, punishing, predicting and preventing cyber crimes.