Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site watmath.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!csc
From: csc@watmath.UUCP (Computer Sci Club)
Newsgroups: net.misc,net.legal
Subject: Re: Password hacker gets probation (& other electronic crimes)
Message-ID: <7655@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 2-May-84 20:12:34 EDT
Article-I.D.: watmath.7655
Posted: Wed May  2 20:12:34 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 3-May-84 19:41:30 EDT
References: <90@tilt.UUCP>, <308@ihu1g.UUCP> <822@ihuxw.UUCP>, <310@ihu1g.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 13

I agree that intent in commiting a crime should be a factor in sentencing.
If someone breaks into a system simply out of a sense of mischief they should
get a lighter sentence than someone who breaks in for reasons of malice or
greed.  Also, I think that the potential damage of the action should be taken
into account.

However, I do not think that the difficulty of the crime should be much of a
factor in sentencing.  Should the guy who cracks a badly protected system to
disrupt it a gain revenge on an enemy recieve a lighter sentence
than the college student who cracks a difficult system just to see if it
can be done? 
                             William Hughes