For people involved in pre-meditated crimes, whether it is

In the ancient world, when the first laws were established, societies sought to create systems of justice based on the premise that the truth would ultimately reveal itself. The great philosophers and lawgivers—from Solon in Athens to Moses in Israel—understood that in order to live in harmony, it was essential for the wrongdoer to be held accountable. Yet, the challenge always remained: how could justice be served when the wrongdoer sought to conceal their actions? Over time, these societies developed systems of investigation and punishment, but the search for truth often required painstaking effort. Jared Cohen, in his reflection on the role of technology in modern crime, sees the world changing in a profound way, stating: "For people involved in pre-meditated crimes, whether it is terrorism or robbery or something else, their use of technology means that they leave a digital trail, and the room for error goes up dramatically. In the future, it will be easier for violent people to make mistakes and get caught before they commit their crimes."

Cohen’s words illuminate a truth that the ancients could only dream of—the idea that in the modern world, the very tools of a criminal’s trade can now betray them. Technology, which once served only as a means of progress and communication, has become the tool of detection, the very thing that can expose the secrets of those who once thought they could act with impunity. The digital trail that criminals leave behind in their use of computers, phones, and the Internet is now the means by which they can be tracked, found, and held accountable. The error once so common in the pursuit of justice—being unable to find enough evidence or to trace the criminal’s actions—has been dramatically reduced. In the future, technology will serve as a relentless witness, constantly recording and revealing the truth.

Think of the ancient criminal systems where those who broke the law often went undetected for long periods of time. In the time of the Romans, when a thief or assassin committed a crime, their escape was aided by the very limits of knowledge—there were no cameras, no tracking systems, no digital records. The Roman Empire was vast, its borders extending across continents, and often the wrongdoers disappeared into the shadows of distant lands. But as much as the Romans sought to catch the wrongdoer, the system of justice often failed in the absence of immediate evidence. The mistakes of criminals, though numerous, could easily go unnoticed. The digital age has shifted this dynamic; the tools that criminals once used to hide are now the very tools that can expose them.

In more recent times, we see this truth at work with modern forensics and the role that digital evidence plays in solving crimes. The capture of the Boston Marathon bombers provides an example of how technology has transformed the fight for justice. In the aftermath of the tragedy, investigators used digital images, video footage, and cell phone data to track the movements of the suspects and piece together their actions. The digital trail they left behind became the evidence that led to their capture. The error they made, in their haste and arrogance, was in thinking they could operate in secrecy, without leaving behind a record of their actions. The future, as Cohen predicts, will be one in which criminals cannot hide in the shadows of their own ignorance—they will leave behind a digital fingerprint that technology will forever trace.

In this light, Cohen’s words speak to the profound power of technology not just as a tool for advancement, but as a means of accountability. For the ancients, the law was often a weapon in the hands of the rulers or gods. But today, technology has democratized the process of justice, placing it in the hands of the people. The power of the digital age lies in its ability to preserve truth, to capture evidence, and to reveal secrets that once would have been hidden forever. In this way, justice is no longer dependent on the mysteries of the past, but on the clarity of modern tools that constantly record and preserve.

The lesson we learn from Cohen’s words is one of responsibility and awareness. We live in a time where the actions of individuals are increasingly being recorded, and where the digital footprint we leave behind can serve as a record of our deeds—both good and bad. Technology, while offering immense power, also demands a greater sense of accountability. As we create, communicate, and move through the digital world, we must recognize that our actions are no longer private in the way they once were. Our decisions—our choices—can be traced, and the room for error becomes smaller with each passing day.

Thus, the practical action is clear: let us act with integrity, knowing that technology will hold us accountable for our actions. Let us teach the younger generations the value of honesty, responsibility, and awareness, so that they do not fall prey to the illusion of anonymity in the digital world. Just as the ancients sought to build a just society through laws and enforcement, so too must we use the tools of our time—technology—to build a society where truth prevails and the guilty are held accountable. The future is one in which mistakes are harder to hide, and justice will be more swift, more certain, and more accessible than ever before. Let us embrace this future with wisdom, understanding that in this age, the digital world is as much a part of our journey toward justice as the world we walk upon.