NCJ Number
209509
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 32 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2005 Pages: 62,64-68,70
Date Published
March 2005
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article explains how to develop or use an existing Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force in detecting and investigating sex offenses against children.
Abstract
Recent research has found that Internet-based investigations significantly impact both arrest and conviction rates for sex offenses against children. Sex offenders use the Internet to make contact with children in chat rooms to set up in-person sexual encounters. The Internet is also used to transmit child pornography. This has occasioned the creation of ICAC task forces to focus on such crimes. Currently, there are 45 regional ICAC task forces in the United States. The Federal Government has authorized these task forces to expand their efforts, recruiting investigators from agencies in the jurisdictions serviced by the task forces. The goal is to create a network of ICAC "satellite" task forces. Half of the 45 existing task forces are operated by State agencies, and half are situated in city or county agencies. Satellite task forces recruit outside agencies to assist them. This may include training personnel to follow an investigation with the help of the task force, which may result in that agency establishing a ICAC unit as part of the satellite network. The challenges for a new ICAC are to prioritize the large volume of cases, to educate agency administrators about the nature of the threats posed by Internet crimes against children, to remain up-to-date on Internet technologies being used by perpetrators, and to address global cases. This article concludes with a description of team meetings for ICAC units, which should meet weekly.