The increase  in computerization in recent years has brought

          to light the  issue  of  computer  privacy  and  computer  crime.

          Today, computers are  used  in  virtually  every  aspect  of  our

          environment and with the  pace  of  technological advancement and

          the growth of personal computers,  the  risk for crime runs high.

          This concept is especially vital  when  one looks at the vastness

          of information that computers have access to.   There  are  large

          files known as Data  Bases  which  store  tremendous  amounts  of

          information for various uses.  The largest of these belong to The

          Library of Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the

          Internal Revenue Service.  Some  contain  dossiers  on people who

          have committed crimes, those who have been convicted,  and  those

          who are juvenile offenders.  The  IRS  uses their files to access

          information for auditing purposes and to compile our tax  returns

          quickly and efficiently.  Without the use of  computers  in  this

          case, the government would be  years  behind  in  processing  tax

          returns.


               Unfortunately, most people don't  realize  how  much data is

          stored about them.  They don't realize how accessible  this  data

          is either.  For instance, the Internal Revenue Service knows  how

          much money each person earns and also where  it  comes  from.  In

          addition,  computers  store information from the  Census,  police

          records, credit standings, and numerous  other  pieces  of  data.

          Because of the scope of this stored information,  computer  crime

          and invasion of privacy have become hot issues.





                                        - 1 -










               According  to  the  American  Bar  Association,  25% of  283

          companies surveyed suffered known  losses  due  to computer crime

          during  the  past  year,  amounting to as  much  as  130  million

                  1rs.   Furthermore, the thief who succeeds in his heist, nets

          an average of  $500,000  and  has  a  15%  chance of prosecution.

          Moreover, if he is convicted, he faces  only about five months in

               spassing, while  the  federal  government has none.

          The recent movie "Wargames" glorified the criminal actions  of  a

          teenaged  computer  whiz.  He was able to tap into  his  school's

          files and cheilly,  Ann.   "Computer  Crackdown".   Fortune,  {September
                                                       _______
          17,1984}, p.  68.

          2. Ibid.,p.69.
             _____

          3.  "Computer   Security:  What  Can  be  Done",  Business  Week,
                                                            ________  ____
          {September 26,1983}, p.126.



                                        - 2 -










          hero.  This movie is credited with starting  a whole new surge of

          interest  in  computers.   Some  people  feel  that  there  is  a

          get-rich-quick scheme hidden in the depths of their computer  and

          that it's  only  a matter of time before they discover the access



          security system and unintentionally, started its defense computer

          playing a  game  which almost began a nuclear war.  After all was

          rectified,  he  got off scott-free.  He was even portrayed  as  a