So I have not been able to get much feedback on my Masters personal statement so I figured I would post it here. Am looking for any comments, criticism, praise, etc... THANKS!

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A child’s naked body is exploited worldwide, terrorist cells conspire deadly attacks from half way around the world, and a person’s entire identity is stolen in seconds. Twenty-five years ago these acts would have been near impossible to accomplish; the one tool which allows such efficiency and success of these terrible acts today is the very same tool that has become the backbone of our society – the Internet. The current structure and ideologies of the internet have made it very difficult to protect society from crimes committed in Cyberspace. The clash between cybercrime and the legal system captivates me and is my inspiration for pursuing a Master’s degree in Criminology at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
My lifelong fascination with computers and technology has evolved in recent years as I began to examine the complex relationship the two have within the legal system. During my studies in Criminology at Carleton University I completed two courses which further increased my interest in this relationship. The first being a first year seminar on ‘Law and the Internet’ which focused primarily on the works of Lawrence Lessig, a leading academic on the relationship between internet and society. The second was a third year course on ‘Law in the Information Society’, taught by Michael Macneil, which focused on the legal challenges of living in a society where technology and information have become ubiquitous. These courses focused on the intricate meshing of law and Cyberspace allowing me to recognize a need for further study on the issue of practical enforcement of the internet. One of the greatest obstacles to enforcing the internet, however, is the balancing act between safety and privacy.
The current structure of the internet does not allow for effective enforcement against crimes committed within Cyberspace. It is my contention that one of the primary causes of this shortcoming is the unwillingness of society to adopt legislation focused on the surveillance and tracking of activities in Cyberspace, due to the inherent privacy implications. Jeremy Bentham created a prison model in the late 1700’s, named the Panopticon, which allowed for constant oversight of all inmates within the prison. This model placed the prison guard in an unobservable area so that whether or not the guards’ eyes were on the inmate, the inmate must always assume that they are being observed. This model creates self-regulation within the prison whilst allowing for constant supervision if one is to wander from legal behaviour. I wish to focus my research on the implementation of legislations tasked at forming a Panoptical framework within Cyberspace. Through this research I intend to determine whether this would be beneficial to the safety of society and whether society would in turn accept such a framework.
I am impressed by the University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s commitment to the highest quality of research. While exploring the Criminology information at UOIT, it became apparent that it is a perfect match for my educational aspirations. The Criminology specialization of "Cyber Crime" is a particular area of interest to me. The collective faculty of the Criminology, Justice, and Policy Studies department is rather remarkable. The work of Dr. Andrea Slane has caught my attention as her research focus is very similar to what I hope mine to be while completing my graduate studies. I have recently read several of her publications and am fascinated with her research and commentary in the area. I have also been fortunate to have visited the Oshawa area on a number of occasions. UOIT’s young campus is quite remarkable; the architecture inside and outside of each building is outstanding and something which I am sure every student at UOIT is proud of. In Ottawa as a Carleton student, I took advantage of the many on-campus activities, such as various occupational, volunteer, and athletic opportunities. I look forward to also participating as much as possible in the wide spectrum of opportunities that are available to UOIT students.
Following the completion of my master’s program, I would like to enter the work field helping to advance the Canadian position regarding the protection of Canadian citizens during their day-to-day interactions within Cyberspace. The study of law and Cyberspace is still a rather young field and requires a heightened knowledge base to make any headway. Could we one day rid the internet of crime? It seems like a daunting task but one I would like to pursue during my graduate studies career and my professional career thereafter.