NCJ Number
96038
Journal
Inside Security World Volume: 20 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1984) Pages: 32-37
Date Published
1984
Length
6 pages
Annotation
If businesses actively prevent computer crime by safeguarding against loss, theft, destruction, and alteration of information and by initiating the prosecution of the crimes they detect, they will provide the impetus for swift passage of Federal computer crime legislation.
Abstract
Despite 6 years of discussion and debate, bills to define and deter computer-related crimes have failed to move quickly through Congress. Laws have been enacted at the State level, but a Federal statute defining and protecting businesses against computer crime has not yet surfaced. Semantics, disagreements among various factions of the legislative and legal community, the current administration's attempt to limit the Federal bureaucracy, and lack of hard data on computer crime are factors underlying this situation. However, both the public and Congress are taking an increasing interest in computer crime as a result of press reports of hacking incidents. If a workable, adaptable computer crime bill were enacted by Congress and signed into law, the information protection field would obtain several benefits. Among them would be resources focused on training, investigation, and prosecution of white-collar crimes committed by using the computer and increased deterrence of white-collar crimes. Some disadvantages resulting from a computer crime bill are also noted. A discussion of methods which businesses are using to protect themselves is included.