What are the implications of having so much variation in state statutues on computer crime laws?
The same as having variation on other crime laws with one exception. That exception is that computer crimes tend to cross state lines. As such, conduct that is immoral but not illegal in some states will be illegal in other states. Thus, while your conduct might be legal in the state in which you live, it could be illegal in the state in which your mark lives. The reality is that the ease of interstate criminal activity more than the differences in particular state laws is what makes law enforcement against computer crimes so difficult. EDIT: Federal laws do not supersede state laws on criminal matters. On criminal matters, you can be prosecuted both at the federal level and at the state level. If you use the internet to commit an offense that violates the laws of your home state, the laws of the victim’s state, and federal law, you can be prosecuted by all three jurisdictions.
