MSU Center Trains Law Enforcement on Cybercrime Threats, First of Its Kind in the Country

January 15, 2025

Photo of Dr. Tom Holt speaking at the first MSU Center for Cybercrime Investigation and Training event — Photo credit: Jackie Hawthorne, MSU College of Social Science

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) latest data, cybercrime has increased 10% compared to the year prior. To address this increase in cybercrime, the Michigan State University Center for Cybercrime Investigation & Training held its inaugural training event last week, the first and only program of its kind in the nation.

The training, which was created specifically for the State of Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) was designed to address the needs of MDOC field agents, clinicians, and practitioners. Dr. Tom Holt, Professor in the School of Criminal Justice and Director of the Center says that providing trainings for law enforcement agencies such as MDOC is exactly why the center was created, saying “Technology changes quickly, and so do offender behaviors. The more information we can provide to criminal justice professionals, the better they can understand and protect the community.”

Photo of Dr. Karen Holt speaking with a participant at the first MSU Center for Cybercrime Investigation and Training event

The first training covered a range of topics including online sex crimes, fraud, and artificial intelligence. Attendees gained a strong understanding of victim-offender relationships and technological misuse as they relate to cybercrime. Dr. Karen Holt, Assistant Professor in the School of Criminal Justice, led the portion of the training focused on image-based sexual abuse and sextortion.

Regarding victim-offender relationships in image-based sexual abuse and sextortion crimes, Dr. Holt says “We need evidence-based education that draws from both survivors of these crimes and the tactics used by offenders so that we can create opportunities for response, intervention, and harm reduction.” This is important for law enforcement to understand since, as Dr. Holt notes, the victims of such crimes usually know their abusers in these scenarios.

The Center for Cybercrime Investigation & Training is the first Center in the country that provides free, accredited training to law enforcement agencies. Their next training will be held on Friday, February 21st at the Henry Center on MSU’s campus for line officers, sheriffs, and troopers. Follow the Center on LinkedIn for more information about upcoming events, or visit cybertraining.msu.edu.

Photo credits: Jackie Hawthorne, MSU College of Social Science