Importance of the Internet in Illegal Migration and Migration Crimes Determination

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to identify the correlation between illegal migration, migration crimes and the use of the Internet resources. The content analysis of advertising sites, social networks in combination with other research methods has revealed that in the virtual space there is both active promotion of services facilitating illegal migration and a wide demand for them. Based on the results of the study, the authors develop the following proposals for improving measures to combat illegal migration in the global network. 1. A strategic direction for countering illegal migration should be the adjustment of the state’s migration policy through the establishment of a correlation between this phenomenon and the use of modern information and telecommunication technologies aiming at organizing and developing a criminal business providing illegal entry, stay (residence) services, fictitious registration, and registration on migration registration, etc. 2. The counteraction to illegal migration in cyberspace should be implemented through an integrated approach. From the perspective of criminal law, it is necessary to add the element “using the media or information and telecommunication networks (including the Internet)” into Part 2 of Art. 322.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which provides for liability for the crime elements of the organization of illegal migration. From the perspective of criminology it is important to identify and record the real conditionality of the development of illegal migration, migration crimes and the use of the Internet to commit them; to improve statistical reporting on crime by including information on the organization of illegal migration committed via the media or information and telecommunication networks (including the Internet) in the report of the State Automated Police Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation on crimes committed in the field of telecommunication and computer information.