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| Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program |
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Overview | Funding | Evaluation | TTA | Contacts | Resources | FAQs | | Overview | Top | The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program (ICAC program) helps state and local law enforcement agencies develop an effective response to cyber enticement and child pornography cases. This help encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, and community education.
The program was developed in response to the increasing number of children and teenagers using the Internet, the proliferation of child pornography, and heightened online activity by predators seeking unsupervised contact with potential underage victims. The FY 1998 Justice Appropriations Act (Pub, L. No. 105–119) directed OJJDP to create a national network of state and local law enforcement cyber units to investigate cases of child sexual exploitation.
The ICAC program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces representing over 2,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. These agencies are engaged in proactive investigations, forensic investigations, and criminal prosecutions. By helping state and local agencies to develop effective, sustainable
responses to online child victimization and child pornography, OJJDP has increased their capacity to address Internet crimes against children.
- Since the ICAC program's inception in 1998, more than 230,000 law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and other professionals have been trained in the United States and in 17 countries on techniques to investigative and prosecute ICAC related cases.
- Since 1998, ICAC Task Forces have reviewed more than 180,000 complaints of alleged child sexual victimization resulting in the arrest of more than 16,500 individuals.
In fiscal year (FY) 2008, the ICAC program trained over 26,000 law enforcement personnel, over 2,200 prosecutors, and more than 8,000 other professional working in the ICAC field. In first three quarters of fiscal year 2009, the number of trained law enforcement personnel increased to over 28,000, while 1,832 prosecutors have been trained
In FY 2008, ICAC investigations led to more than 3,108 arrests, over 14,339 forensic examinations, and the identification of over 1,000 real children who were victims of some form of abuse and neglect.
- As of the end of the third quarter of FY 2009, ICAC investigations contributed to the arrests of nearly 3,300 individuals, with almost one-third of those arrests (1,275) resulting in the acceptance of a plea agreement by the defendant in lieu of trial.
| | Funding | Top | | In FY 2009, ICAC program received $25 million under the Omnibus Appropriation Act. Of which, nearly $21 million was awarded directly to ICAC task forces, while the remaining $4 million was awarded for training and technical assistance.
In FY 2009, the ICAC program received and additional $50 million through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (Public Law 111-5). Of which, nearly $41.5 million was awarded directly to ICAC task forces, while the remaining $8.5 million was awarded for training, technical assistance, and research.
Funding History
- FY 2003: $12.5 million
- FY 2004: $13.5 million
- FY 2005: $14.5 million
- FY 2006: $14.5 million
- FY 2007: $14.5 million
- FY 2008: $15.9 million
- FY 2009: $75 million
| | Training and Technical Assistance | Top | The ICAC Training and Technical Assistance Program was established to assist ICAC task forces with training and technical assistance.
Training providers include the following:
- Girls Educational and Mentoring Services provides training and technical assistance to increase the capacity of ICAC task forces to combat interrelated forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Contact: Rachel Lloyd, Executive Director
info@gems-girls.org
202-926-8089
- SEARCH, the National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics, provides training related to social networking sites, peer to peer file sharing, wireless networks, and cell phone technology.
Contact: Richard Harris, Director, High-Tech Crime Training Services
rich.harris@search.org
916-392-2550
- The National District Attorney's Association provides training for prosecutors, including their two-part Unsafe Havens class (Part I focuses on pre-trial and investigation, while Part II is an advanced trial advocacy course addressing jury selection through sentencing).
Contact: Justin T. Fitzsimmons, Senior Attorney
National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse
jfitzsimmons@ndaa.org
703-519-1695
- The National Center for Justice and the Rule of Law at the University of Mississippi and the National Judicial College will develop educational programming for state judges on the investigation and prosecution of technology-assisted crimes against children.
Contact: Thomas K. Clancy, Director and Research Professor
tclancy@olemiss.edu
662-915-6918
- The National White Collar Crime Center provides training for law enforcement, prosecutors, and other stakeholders in the ICAC program to improve investigative, prosecutorial, and forensic capabilities; create and distribute guidelines, best practices, and investigative methodologies; and coordinate meetings with grantees and practitioners.
Contact: Robert Hopper, Manager, Computer Crimes Center
rhopper@nw3c.org
304-366-9094
- The Innocent Justice Foundation will develop a comprehensive mental health and wellness program for ICAC task forces to address negative effects and trauma for individuals exposed to child pornography through their work.
Contact: Heather Steele, President and CEO
heather@innocentjustice.org
760-585-8873
- Fox Valley Technical College provides training focused on investigative techniques and best practices for undercover operations to combat Internet crimes against children and site-specific technical assistance to ICAC Task Forces.
Contact: Bradley Russ, Director ICAC Training and Technical Assistance Program
brad.russ@unh.edu
603-862-7031
- The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides basic training to law enforcement officials and prosecutors to help them combat computer-facilitated child exploitation.
Contact: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
703-224-2150
| | Contacts | Top | | OJJDP Contact(s) | Chris Holloway
Program Manager
202-305-9838
christopher.holloway@usdoj.gov | Jeffrey Gersh
Program Manager
202-514-5535
jeffrey.gersh@usdoj.gov | Amy Staubs
Program Manager
202-307-5762
amy.staubs@usdoj.gov | Will Bronson
Program Manager
202-305-2427
willie.bronson@usdoj.gov | | Resources | Top | | Link(s) | Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. | | Other Resources |
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