This Month in Government Information

Computer Crimes

This primer provides a general overview of the statutes, sentencing guidelines, and case law for federal computer crimes. For purposes of this primer, “computer crimes” include offenses where the computer is the gravamen of the offense or sentencing enhancement. As such, this primer primarily focuses on certain offenses found in 18 U.S.C.§§ 1030 (Fraud and related activity in connection with computers) and 1037 (Fraud and related activity in connection with electronic mail), such as computer and email fraud, computer espionage, extortion relating to protected computers, and trespass on a government computer, and specific sentencing provisions within guidelines applicable to those offenses. In addition, this primer discusses application of §3B1.3 (Abuse of Position of Trust or Use of Special Skill) in cases involving computers or the internet.

SUDOC number: Y 3.SE 5:2 C 73/3

Located: ONLINE ONLY

ONLINE version: Computer Crimes