How Long Would You Go To Jail For Hacking Into A School Computer?

[Janice Johnson]

Let's say you hacked into someone's records and changed their grades(for better or worse), and were caught/confessed, how long could you be jailed for?

[Zoneboy]

[JamesG]

The federal punishment for hacking into computers ranges from a fine and/or imprisonment. The prison sentence can be no less than one year to no more than twenty years.

The sentencing depends on how serious the criminal activity was and what damage the hacker has done. It's up to the court to decide for individual cases on how serious it is.

[spunkygirl]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

[lilhave]

Spoke to a N.Y. state criminal judge, a friend who I spent my college years with.

First it is a non violent crime, with no money taken.

In almost all cases the sentence would be of a probationary sentence, with no time to be served. The individual would be restricted from having use of a computer for the duration of the probationary period and there would be counseling as part of the sentence. It could be anywhere from 3 to 5 years.

That would be based on the fact that the individual is a first time offender with no prior felony arrests.

Harvey

[Janice Johnson]

Originally Posted by lilhave

Spoke to a N.Y. state criminal judge, a friend who I spent my college years with.

First it is a non violent crime, with no money taken.

In almost all cases the sentence would be of a probationary sentence, with no time to be served. The individual would be restricted from having use of a computer for the duration of the probationary period and there would be counseling as part of the sentence. It could be anywhere from 3 to 5 years.

That would be based on the fact that the individual is a first time offender with no prior felony arrests.

Harvey

What if the hacker made the grades "worse" and ended up getting the grade recipent in school trouble? Like the victim ended up expelled for the bad grades or something like that?

[lilhave]

Originally Posted by Janice Johnson

What if the hacker made the grades "worse" and ended up getting the grade recipent in school trouble? Like the victim ended up expelled for the bad grades or something like that?

It is a felony to the lowest degree. You read about hackers all the time, breaking into systems and causing havoc and little is done besides probation. And in many cases they are crippling a system. This was done to one individual and the jails are loaded with much more violent criminals, in particular the federal system. Murderers, credit card thieves of millions, drug cartels, etc, then to imprison a teenager for giving bad grades to a student. Forget about federal guidelines, the Judge imposes any sentence up to the maximum and a first time offender will not serve time. This is a minor offense. A plea bargain would immediately be reached with no time served. Many drug dealers walk and they do more damage than a kid giving another bad grades.

[Janice Johnson]

Originally Posted by lilhave

. Many drug dealers walk and they do more damage than a kid giving another bad grades.

There's some Gallows Humor for us!

[Janice Johnson]

Originally Posted by lilhave

It is a felony to the lowest degree. You read about hackers all the time, breaking into systems and causing havoc and little is done besides probation. And in many cases they are crippling a system. This was done to one individual and the jails are loaded with much more violent criminals, in particular the federal system. Murderers, credit card thieves of millions, drug cartels, etc, then to imprison a teenager for giving bad grades to a student. Forget about federal guidelines, the Judge imposes any sentence up to the maximum and a first time offender will not serve time. This is a minor offense. A plea bargain would immediately be reached with no time served. Many drug dealers walk and they do more damage than a kid giving another bad grades.

Question? what exactly is a "plea bargain?" Would that be like, "Judge, it was just a one-time mistake! I'm just a kid! I don't know how to survive in prison! Please don't send me to jail! I won't do it anymore!"

[lilhave]

Originally Posted by Janice Johnson

Question? what exactly is a "plea bargain?" Would that be like, "Judge, it was just a one-time mistake! I'm just a kid! I don't know how to survive in prison! Please don't send me to jail! I won't do it anymore!"

You really never heard the term plea bargain? It costs money to go to trial besides being time consuming. In most cases the prosecutor makes a deal with the defendant's attorney that if the suspects pleads guilty the charge will be reduced and the state will recommend a lower sentence then what the crime calls for.

Even in capital cases, many times a plea will get a life sentence then the state asking for the death penalty. In felony cases there are many degrees. All part of the judicial system.

Has absolutely nothing to do with what your talking about. Before sentencing the convicted individual can address the and by showing remorse hope to have be sentenced to the lower end of the guideline. That's asking for mercy, not plea bargaining.

Harvey

[James]

I knew someone in high school who broke into the school computer to change his grade, and he got out-of-school suspension if memory serves. Even though both of us were in advanced computer science courses, I had no idea how to do it; this was 1988, long before Al Gore "invented" the Internet.

[Janice Johnson]

Hacking into a school computer would be more like "a Misdemeanor," than a high degree felony, right?

[lilhave]

Originally Posted by Janice Johnson

Hacking into a school computer would be more like "a Misdemeanor," than a high degree felony, right?

Now it's sinking in.

[coffield3]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

[Janice Johnson]

Hmm.....I think it MIGHT be a higher degree if your hacking caused a computer virus or something.....:/