Protecting Children in Cyberspace: The ICAC Task Force Program

• NCJ Number: 191213
• Author(s): Michael Medaris; Cathy Girouard
• Date Published: January 2002
• Length: 8 pages
• Agencies: OJJDP
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description

Annotation

This bulletin describes the work of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention's (OJJDP's) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program.

Abstract

The OJJDP created the ICAC Task Force Program to help State and local law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to "cyberenticement" and child pornography cases. The assistance encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, and community education. As of September 2001, 30 regional task forces and 43 investigative satellites were participating in the program. This included the efforts of 160 State and local law enforcement agencies in 39 States. Under a separate appropriation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children supports the ICAC Task Force Program with a wide range of activities to protect children in cyberspace. Regional ICAC Task Forces throughout the country are designed to provide forensic, prevention, and investigative assistance to parents, educators, prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, and those professionals who are working on child victimization issues. To enhance the geographic impact of the ICAC Task Force Program, OJJDP recently created the investigative Satellite Initiative, which enables agencies without full-time task forces to receive funding to acquire specialized equipment and training. This bulletin also lists achievements of the program over the past 2 years, which includes arrests of more than 550 persons for child sexual exploitation; the seizing of approximately 850 computers; investigative assistance in more than 1,000 cases; training for more than 1,443 prosecutors and 12,500 law enforcement officers; and information for thousands of youth, parents, and educators, as well as the general public. 6 annotated additional resources and 3 references