NCJ Number
193474
Date Published
2000
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This chapter examines the nature, scope, and frequency of computer-related crimes.
Abstract
The increasing number of computer-related crimes has challenged analytical strategies such as crime mapping. The focus is on those offenses considered to constitute computer crimes rather than the larger set of computer-related crimes. Computer crimes are comprised of fraud, embezzlement, terrorism, theft, larceny, extortion, malicious mischief, espionage, and sabotage. One type of computer crime is that of hacker attacks of big-name Web sites. Another virus attack was the “Love Bug,” which sent disrupting love letter emails to computers around the world. Computer crimes are by their very nature difficult to detect. Part of this difficulty is a general lack of consensus on what constitutes a computer crime. Complicating this problem is the fact that the victim is often not a person or property but an electronic medium. Also complicating the identification of computer crimes is not reporting attacks to authorities when detected. Crime mapping technologies have been found effective in assisting law enforcement in the investigation of crimes reported. However, computer crimes are not as regularly reported and the available information on victims, targets, and offenders involved suffers as a result. These crimes are much more difficult to identify, report, and investigate than conventional crimes. Another challenge is the secondary nature in which these crimes become known to law enforcement. The informed system administrator has become a valuable resource to policing efforts. Computer crimes can be perpetrated from virtually anywhere in the world and do not require geographic proximity between the motivated offender and the potential target. Valuable information for investigating these crimes may be obtained by examining the points from which computer crimes originate: the Internet Service Providers. Current crime mapping technologies offer help in resolving computer crime if used properly. The technology is available, but computer systems administrators must regularly employ and maintain these system maps for them to be useful. 4 figures, 13 references