Only good to a certain extent, and since hackers are often easy targets and successful computer prosecutions are a good feather in the cap of prosecutors ever more concerned about having something on their resumes related to the "cybersecurity" buzzword, they'll frequently get harsh sentences.

Weev got 3.5 years and also did nothing malicious with the data he found: http://www.wired.com/2013/03/att-hacker-gets-3-years/