FY22 Mississippi ICAC Task Force Program

The National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, consists of state and local law enforcement task forces dedicated to developing effective responses to online enticement of children by sexual predators, child exploitation, and child obscenity and pornography cases. Each State and local task force that is part of the national program shall: 1) consist of State and local investigators, prosecutors, forensic specialists, and education specialists who are dedicated to addressing the goals of the task force; 2) engage in proactive investigations, forensic examinations, and effective prosecutions of Internet crimes against children; 3) provide forensic, preventive, and investigative assistance to parents, educators, prosecutors, law enforcement, and others concerned with Internet crimes against children; 4) develop multijurisdictional, multiagency partnerships and responses to Internet crimes against children offenses through ongoing informational, administrative, and technological support to other State and local law enforcement agencies, as a means for such agencies to acquire the necessary knowledge, personnel, and specialized equipment to investigate and prosecute such offenses; 5) participate in nationally coordinated investigations in any case in which the Attorney General determines such participation to be necessary, as permitted by the available resources of such task force; 6) establish or adopt investigative and prosecution standards consistent with established norms, to which such task force shall comply; 7) investigate, and seek prosecution on tips related to Internet crimes against children, including tips from Operation Fairplay, the National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline, ICAC task forces, and other Federal, State, and local agencies, with priority being given to investigate leads that indicate the possibility of identifying or rescuing child victims, including investigative leads that indicate a likelihood of seriousness of offense or dangerousness to the community; 8) develop procedures for handling seized evidence for ICAC task force lead agencies and affiliate agencies; 9) maintain reports required by OJJDP and other reports and records as determined by the Attorney General; and, 10) seek to comply with national standards regarding the investigation and prosecution of Internet crimes against children, as set forth by the Attorney General, to the extent such standards are consistent with the law of the State where the task force is located.

The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office (MSAGO) has been the lead agency for the Mississippi ICAC task force since 2007.  Since then, the task force has led the state to incorporate new and more effective methods of investigation, kept pace with the ever changing face of technology, and worked diligently to ensure the safety and security of Mississippi’s children. With Mississippi’s population at nearly 3 million people, the task force is working to expand the number of its affiliates and their individual effectiveness and is seeking new tools in the fight against child exploitation and abuse. Continued funding will help the MSAGO to achieve their mission to enhance enforcement and investigative actions, digital forensic work, and prosecution of offenders, and to expand our role in educating the state’s law enforcement and public on the current dangers facing our children.

The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office will continue the Mississippi Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, as it has done since 2007. The purpose is to work diligently to prevent, investigate, and prosecute child sexual abuse in the state of Mississippi. The state’s population has held steady around 3 million, as shown in the 2010 and 2020 census numbers, but the Task Force sees a yearly increase in CyberTips of child sexual abuse material and other child exploitation. The Mississippi Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force’s project activities are designed to maintain and strengthen alliances with federal, state, and local partners to fight the rise in crimes against children. Expected outcomes include investigations shared among affiliates; creation of additional multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency partnerships to forensically analyze electronic media in cases of the sexual abuse of children and online crimes; prosecutions in state and federal courts; and education of the public, law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges on electronic child crimes awareness prevention and safety under Internet Crimes Against Children standards.