school and usually start their "career path" with illegally copying software. As young people interact with hackers, they incorporate the beliefs of the hackers into their own. Many of these unconventional beliefs of young hackers about information and computers leads them to a career in computer crime. Many times it is the lack of education byparents and schools that helps to make these beliefs all the more true to a young person.Computer criminals have their own set of beliefs about information and computers. Their beliefs are based on obvious unethical reasoning. For example, hackers believe that computerizeddata are free and should be accessible to anyone. They also believe that passwords and othersecurity features are simply obstacles to be overcome in obtaining data that should already be available and while data should never be destroyed, there is nothing wrong withviewing and transferring data for one's own use. One member of the Legion of Doom, anationwide group of hackers who exchange information about computer systems and techniques to break into them, has said, "Hackers will do just about anything to break into a computer except crashing a system, that's the only taboo". (Biemiller) The key to stop computer criminals from forming is education. It is often times the casethat people commit computer crimes without even know they are doing so and the reason for thisis the lack of education. Few schools teach computer ethics, and parents of arrested hackers areusually unaware that their children have been illegally accessing computer systems. Colleges anduniversities do not usually include computer use and abuse in their courses, arguing that it is the responsibility of the schools. On the other hand, many secondary school educators are not sure about what should betaught and are reluctant or unable to add ethical computer education to many subjects in thec...
