2C:43-3.8 Offenses involving computer criminal activities; penalties; "Computer Crime Prevention Fund."

1. a. In addition to any disposition authorized by this Title, the provisions of section 24 of P.L.1982, c.77 (C.2A:4A-43), or any other statute indicating the dispositions that can be ordered for an adjudication of delinquency, every person convicted of or adjudicated delinquent for a violation of paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of subsection b. of N.J.S.2C:24-4; section 8 of P.L.2017, c.141 (C.2C:24-4.1); N.J.S.2C:34-3; or an offense involving computer criminal activity in violation of any provision of chapter 20 of this title shall be assessed for each such offense a penalty fixed at:

(a) $2,000 in the case of a crime of the first degree;

(b) $1,000 in the case of a crime of the second degree;

(c) $750 in the case of a crime of the third degree;

(d) $500 in the case of a crime of the fourth degree;

(e) $250 in the case of a disorderly persons or petty disorderly persons offense.

b. All penalties provided for in this section shall be collected as provided for collection of fines and restitutions in section 3 of P.L.1979, c.396 (C.2C:46-4), and shall be forwarded to the Department of the Treasury as provided in subsection c. of this section.

c. All moneys collected pursuant to this section shall be forwarded to the Department of the Treasury to be deposited in a nonlapsing revolving fund to be known as the "Computer Crime Prevention Fund." Moneys in the fund shall be appropriated by the Legislature to the Department of Law and Public Safety on an annual basis for the purposes of investigating and prosecuting computer-related crime, and funding continuing educational programs on high technology crimes and the 24-hour toll-free computer crime hotline telephone service established pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1998, c.134 (C.52:17B-193) and publicizing thereof, as well as other programs designed to enhance public awareness of computer-related crime, including but not limited to use of the Internet to facilitate sexual predatory acts, cyber-stalking and cyberbullying, online child pornography, threats of violence in schools or other institutions, Internet fraud, and unauthorized intrusions into computer systems.

d. There is created in the Department of the Treasury a non-lapsing fund entitled the "Computer Crime Prevention Fund." The fund shall be the depository for assessments collected pursuant to subsection a. of this section, to be appropriated and used in accordance with the purposes set forth in subsection c. of this section.

L.2009, c.143, s.1; amended 2017, c.141, s.4.