Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws > Chapter 11-52 - Computer Crime

• Access: means to approach, instruct, communicate with, store data in, enter data in, retrieve data from, or otherwise make use of any resources of, a computer, computer system, or computer network. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• computer: includes any connected or directly related device, equipment, or facility which enables the computer to store, retrieve or communicate computer programs, computer data or the results of computer operations to or from a person, another computer or another device. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Computer data: means any representation of information, knowledge, facts, concepts, or instructions which is being prepared or has been prepared and is intended to be processed, is being processed, or has been processed in a computer or computer network. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Computer network: means a set of related, remotely connected devices and any communications facilities including more than one computer with the capability to transmit data among them through the communications facilities. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Computer program: means a series of instructions or statements or related data that, in actual or modified form, is capable of causing a computer or a computer system to perform specified functions in a form acceptable to a computer, which permits the functioning of a computer system in a manner designed to provide appropriate products from the computer systems. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Computer services: includes computer time or services, data processing services, Internet service providers' networks and facilities located in the state or information or data stored in connection with them. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Computer software: means a set of computer programs, procedures, and associated documentation concerned with the operation of a computer, computer program or computer network. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Computer system: means a set of related, connected or unconnected, computer equipment, devices, and software. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Data: means any representation of information, knowledge, facts, concepts, or instructions which are being prepared or have been prepared and are intended to be entered, processed, or stored, are being entered, processed, or stored or have been entered, processed, or stored in a computer, computer system, or computer network. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Electronic mail service provider: means any business or organization qualified to do business in the state of Rhode Island that provides registered users the ability to send or receive electronic mail through equipment located in this state and that is an intermediary in sending or receiving electronic mail. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Financial instrument: includes , but is not limited to, any check, draft, warrant, money order, note, certificate of deposit, letter of credit, bill of exchange, credit or debit card transaction authorization mechanism, marketable security, or any computerized representation of any of these. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. ^{Source: OCC}
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Owner: means an owner or lessee of a computer or a computer network or an owner, lessee, or licensee of computer data, computer programs, or computer software. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Person: shall include any individual, partnership, association, corporation or joint venture. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Property: includes , but is not limited to:

  (i)  Real property;

  (ii)  Computers and computer networks;

  (iii)  Financial instruments, computer data, computer programs, computer software and all other personal property regardless of whether they are:

  (A)  Tangible or intangible;

  (B)  In a format readable by humans or by a computer;

  (C)  In transit between computers or within a computer network or between any devices which comprise a computer; or

  (D)  Located on any paper or in any device on which it is stored by a computer or by a human; and

  (E)  Computer services. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1

• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• Services: includes , but is not limited to, computer time, data processing, and storage functions. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1
• Source document: means an original document or record which forms the basis of every electronic entry put into a computer, computer system, or computer network. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-52-1