ABSTRACT

Regulating, Investigating, and Sanctioning Criminal Communications 58 Policing 61

Conclusion 63 Discussion Questions 64 Key Terms and Concepts 64 References 65

2012, this monthly average had grown to over 171 billion (CTIA, 2013). It is clear that the rapid diffusion of texting and other social media tools, such as iMessage, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, are reshaping the world as we know it in the 21st century. The ease of access to and use of these evolutionary modes of communication grants everyone, from children to senior citizens, virtually unrestricted mobile contact with others, with few physical or spatial barriers. By mid-year 2013 over 90% of American adults owned a cellular phone, up from 65% in 2004 (Pew Research Center, 2013). Although many of these owners do not partake in texting, and the majority of electronic media device use is arguably for generic and mundane personal, social, or business communication, there is a growing trend among individuals to utilize these tools in an illegal manner or to coordinate illegal activities.