Problems in policing computer crime

The paper discusses the problems in policing computer crime in terms of:

1. the absence of reliable statistics on computer crime due to difficulties over defining computer crime and the background and motivation of those providing information and statistics on incidents of computer crime:

2. the attitudes of police to computer criminals, how computer criminals are treated by the courts and the culpability of victim organisations: and

3. the adequacy of the training of police officers to deal with technological crime.

As a solution, the paper outlines a forensic methodology for dealing with computer crime. The approach covers: the investigation of a computer crime: the legal aspects of computer crime in terms of possible offences and the rules of evidence; the skills and equipment needed to present computer crime evidence in court; and the appropriate computing skills.

The conclusion reached is that computer crime will only be combatted successfully if adequate resources are committed to the problem and the police develop or have access to relevant expertise.

Key words:

• Computer fraud
• criminal statistics
• police attitudes
• police training
• forensics
• fraud investigation techniques