U.S. DOJ Launches Worldwide Web Site Focused on Cybercrime

Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a site on the Worldwide Web that is intended to serve as a clearinghouse for information on computer related crime, or cybercrime. According to a March 13 DOJ press release, information on the site will focus especially on computer hacking and intellectual property crime.

"Law enforcement wants to work with the public and industry to fight computer crime," said Martha Stansell-Gamm, chief of DOJ's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

The site contains a variety of information on the subject including government documents and reports, as well as advice for the public about avoiding and preventing Internet crime. The site can be found at www.cybercrime.gov

Following is the Department of Justice text:

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U.S. Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.
Monday, March 13, 2000

Washington D.C. -- The Department of Justice today launched a Web site devoted exclusively to cybercrime at "www.cybercrime.gov." This resource, created by the Criminal Division's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), provides information on the growing area of crimes related to the Internet, focusing on hackers and intellectual property crime.

"WWW.CYBERCRIME.GOV provides information that can be useful from the classroom to the courtroom," said James K. Robinson, Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division. "There is a growing interest in cybercrime from a variety of perspectives ranging from children, parents and teachers to lawyers, law enforcement, and the media. This new Web site allows the public to easily access a wide range of information about the Justice Department's efforts to attack computer crime."

The Web site includes a wide variety of materials, including: press releases, speeches by Justice Department officials including the Attorney General, Congressional testimony, letters and Justice Department reports. In addition, there is material to help the general public and law enforcement, including information on how to report Internet-related cybercrime. Because cybercrime is of special interest to children and parents, the site also provides a direct link to the "Internet Do's and Don'ts" section of the Department of Justice's Kids' page.

Materials on WWW.CYBERCRIME.GOV are organized by subject in 12 "channels." The channels span a broad range of issues related to computers and crime, including information on prosecuting computer hacking, intellectual property piracy and counterfeiting, legal issues related to electronic commerce, freedom of speech, searching and seizing computers, encryption, privacy, and international aspects of cybercrime.

"Law enforcement wants to work with the public and industry to fight computer crime," said Martha Stansell-Gamm, chief of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. "By providing easy access to materials, we hope to inform the public about the special issues related to cybercrime. Being connected to the World Wide Web also facilitates our work with law enforcement agencies all over the world."

Channels on the site include:

Documents http://www.cybercrime.gov/docs.html
Provides direct links to press releases, speeches, testimony, letters and reports;
• Investigating and Prosecuting Computer Crime http://www.cybercrime.gov/compcrime.html
  Provides computer crime laws and legislative history, as well as press releases regarding significant hacker cases;
• Protecting Intellectual Property Rights http://www.cybercrime.gov/crimes.html
  Provides a fully Web-accessible version of the Department's 200-page manual on "Federal Prosecution of Violations of Intellectual Property Rights," as well as information on the Justice Department's Intellectual Property Initiative, announced on July 23, 1999;
  
• Electronic Commerce http://www.cybercrime.gov/ecommerce.html
  Provides materials including Justice Department officials' testimony on Internet Gambling and the Sale of Pharmaceuticals over the Internet;
  
• Speech Issues in the High-tech Context http://www.cybercrime.gov/speech.html
  Provides a variety of reports related to prosecution of Internet-facilitated hate speech, the availability of bombmaking materials via the Internet, and cyberstalking;
  
• Protecting Critical Infrastructures http://www.cybercrime.gov/critinfr.html
  Provides information on addressing the federal government's efforts to protect the national infrastructures that provide the efficient delivery of essential services;
  
• Prosecuting Crimes Facilitated by Computers and by the Internet http://www.cybercrime.gov/crimes.html
  Provides information about the many crimes that are not specifically related to computers but which are substantially facilitated by the use of computers;
• Searching and Seizing Computers http://www.cybercrime.gov/searching.html
  Provides Web-based access to the Department of Justice's 1994 manual on Searching and Seizing Computers, as well as the two subsequent updates;
  
• Encryption and Computer Crime http://www.cybercrime.gov/crypto.html
  Provides the Department's responses to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on encryption;
• Privacy Issues in the High-Tech Context http://www.cybercrime.gov/privacy.html
  Provides information on referring potential privacy violations to the Department of Justice for investigation and prosecution, as well as testimony of the Department's Chief Privacy Officer on digital privacy;
  
• International Aspects of Computer Crime http://www.cybercrime.gov/intl.html
  Provides access to a variety of international materials, including Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder's remarks from the Vienna International Child Pornography Conference, September 29, 1999, and information on efforts of international groups, such as the G-8 and the Council of Europe;
• Law Enforcement Coordination for High-Tech Crimes http://www.cybercrime.gov/enforcement.html
  Provides information and links to the National Cybercrime Training Partnership and the National Infrastructure Protection Center and a link to the Attorney General's speech on January 10, 2000, introducing the Law Net Initiative;

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