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Conference Papers

Computer crime

Barbara Etter
Australasian Centre for Policing Research, South Australia

Presented at
4th National Outlook Symposium on Crime in Australia: New Crimes or New Responses
21-22 June, 2001
Rydges Lakeside, Canberra

Abstract

New responses are required to the issue of electronic or computer crime, particularly given its global dimensions. In some respects, the growth in the uptake of Information and Communications Technology, including the Internet, presents as great a challenge for policing as the introduction of the telephone and the motor vehicle. Some argue that computer crime is merely a case of the 'same old wine in new bottles'. The paper argues that e-crime presents as a new form of business that will require a fundamental paradigm shift in policing. This 'new business' will be characterised by new forms of crime, a far broader scope and scale of offending and victimisation, and challenging technical and legal complexities. The paper outlines:

  • The nature of the computer crime problem and the challenges it presents;
  • The new response issues which may be encountered during prevention, detection and investigation; and
  • What Australasian policing is doing to prevent and reduce the incidence of this type of crime.