Codes and ciphers have been around since man realized he sometimes needed to communicate the written word in a way unreadable except by the intended recipient. The Enigma cipher machine (shown left) proved to be a serious headache for Allied codebreakers in World War II.
Modern criminals encrypt their communications for the same reason, and that presents challenges to criminal investigators. If you’re interested in learning more about how criminals use codes and ciphers, read this article, Analysis of Criminal Codes and Ciphers, by Daniel Olson in the January 2000 issue of Forensic Science Communications. Then if you would like to see if you can meet the challenge, here is your chance. Have fun!