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Cybercrimes on Virginia College Campuses

What makes cybercrimes unique is that they happen in cyberspace via the internet, versus happening in real time and on campus where there are actual witnesses or evidence. The investigations are going to be done in a different way depending on who is conducting the investigation. The police may issue subpoenas to network providers to get subscriber information and find out the identity of an individual who is stalking or bullying another person.

That differs from administrative investigations where there is probably not going to be any subpoena power which a university can employ. As a result, they would be left with other means of investigation which would include following up leads and talking to people to figure out a) did a crime or violation occur, b) who did it, and c) is there enough evidence to establish it.

Cybercrimes are more common in the age group of under 30. It is not necessarily more common among college students and university students. Cybercrime is more specific to an age group than it is to a campus setting. However, since there are typically large populations of people under 30 moving in or around a college campus, there is an increased possibility that a cybercrime might occur on a college campus.

Call and consult with a Virginia student defense lawyer to discuss the next steps in fighting a cybercrime charge.

Common Cybercrime Charges in Virginia

Any action completed through the use of a computer which violates a criminal statute can be considered a cybercrime. There are also civil actions such as talking about plagiarism that can get you suspended from school. They would not result in you going to jail, but could result in someone suing you.

There is again that difference between cyber conduct associated with administrative penalties in school, versus criminal penalties from the court. It is the same with cyber bullying, where there could be a school policy against it regardless of whether or not there is a criminal statute in a particular state making it a criminal activity. The same is true of cyber stalking.

There are also other types of crimes involving computers. There is solicitation of minors for sex over the internet, which is both a federal and state crime. However, if talking specifically about cybercrimes among the age group of college students, that is probably not what you are going to see. You are going to see more of social-media type of bullying or stalking among students.

How a Virginia Student Defense Lawyer Can Help

Student defense attorneys in Virginia with experience in assisting college students with allegations of cyber misconduct or cybercrimes are very useful in providing professional, legal guidance early on in the process. An attorney can help protect the rights of the student and advise them not to say or do anything that could cause further damage to them beyond the current allegations.

An attorney with experience in this field can navigate the school’s administrative system, as well as the criminal court system. Since criminal charges are sometimes a possibility, this type of experience and advice can be extremely helpful.

The assistance of a Virginia student defense lawyer early on in the process will provide students with proper guidance to protect their rights at an administrative level. This is done first by advising the student that they have a right to remain silent and do not need to answer questions from administrative personnel, so that they do not further damage their reputation or provide evidence against their own case. Second, the lawyer’s guidance early on can protect them against producing evidence or disclosing evidence that could harm them.

Consequences of a Guilty Verdict in Virginia

The consequences for a student in Virginia who receives a guilty verdict for a cybercrime are that the person loses the ability to live on campus, take courses and graduate. They face either semesters or years of suspension, or expulsion from the university. Once you are expelled from one university that could impact your ability to be accepted somewhere else.

Not only are you putting your ability to graduate from that school in jeopardy but you could also potentially jeopardize the ability to transfer to another school of equal prominence, better schools or any school at all.

To avoid running into a situation where your entire future is placed at risk due to a single mistake, call a Virginia student defense attorney as soon as possible.

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