| Back In The Beginning Before there were cyber | | | | the internet. |
| criminals, there were embezzlers and anti trust fraud. | | | | Cyber Crimes It has been said that you can't teach an |
| The term, white collar crime, was coined by Edwin | | | | old dog new tricks, but evidently that does not hold |
| Sutherland, a sociology professor that literally wrote | | | | true for the criminal element. Criminal activity started |
| the book on white collar crime, at least the first one. He | | | | back when Cain killed Abel out of jealousy and greed |
| defined it as crime committed by a respectable person | | | | and it has evolved as fast or faster than human |
| of high social status in the course of his occupation. | | | | evolution itself. It seems that every time new security |
| Since there are no statutes or court decisions involving | | | | or protections are devised to protect online activities, |
| respect or social status, convictions were hard to | | | | the criminals come up with new ways to breach them. |
| come by. Sutherland was intent on focusing attention | | | | As of now, cyber crimes can be prosecuted under at |
| on the social class of the perpetrator of the crime | | | | least forty different statutes but two federal acts |
| rather than of the crime itself. Eventually, Sutherland's | | | | account for the majority of them. One of them is the |
| definition evolved into variations such as, the type of | | | | Computer Fraud And Abuse Act of 1990, which has |
| offender, type of offense, and the organization of the | | | | been amended at least five times. The majority of the |
| criminals. | | | | cyber crime statutes are modeled after this act, which |
| The Department Of Justice expanded the definition to | | | | allows for a hefty fine and imprisonment from five to |
| include any illegal act by non physical means, using | | | | twenty years. The other one is the Espionage Act of |
| concealment, guile, or deceit to obtain money or | | | | 1996, which allows for much heavier penalties. Criminals |
| property. It wasn't long before cyber crimes were | | | | convicted under these statutes can expect to receive |
| included as well. Cyber crimes are among the most | | | | from $500,000 to $5,000,000 in fines and can spend |
| difficult crimes to prosecute due to the anonymity of | | | | 10-20 years in prison. |