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SYLVA
- As the new wave of technology continues to drift through society,
so does an unfortunate by-product: Internet Crime.
To
combat this rash of on-line lawlessness, Southwestern Community College
is the first in the United States approved to offer an Associate of
Applied Science (AAS) degree in Cyber Crime Technology. The new program
will begin this fall.
"The fact that SCC is the first in the state and nation to offer
a program of this nature is a strong reflection of our commitment to
high technology," said Mike Burnette, a Criminal Justice and Cyber
Crime instructor at SCC. "We are seeing the need for specialists
who work with computer crime here in North Carolina. I recently spoke
with a police lieutenant from Randleman (a community just south of Greensboro),
who is working with U.S. Customs on child pornography case that is affecting
their town."
The Cyber Crime curriculum will utilize elements from Southwestern's
existing Criminal Justice and Information Systems Technology programs.
Burnette has worked with Information Systems instructor Kirk Stephens
to develop the new program.
"The excellent working relationship that Kirk and I have here has
allowed this program to happen," said Burnette."Without his
cooperation, we would have never gotten this new program off the ground."
The two-year program prepares students to become computer crime investigators
for local, state or national criminal justice agencies. Graduates can
also work as computer security specialists or as consultants with private
businesses.
"This rise in computer crime is not going to change – I definitely
think we're going to see a dramatic increase," said Burnette. "A
quote I heard that really sums up the problem we're faced with is: "Give
a man a gun, and he robs for a day. Give a man a computer, and he robs
for a lifetime." I can't stress how important it is to have a program
like our Cyber Crime curriculum in place to slow down this pervasive
crime wave."
Anyone interested in the Cyber Crime program can register anytime before
Aug. 17. Fall classes at SCC begin on Aug. 20.
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