JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION CONGRESSIONALLY EARMARK

PROJECT SUMMARY 2002-MC-CX-K015

Mission; to protect children from predators, by establishing and facilitating a collaborative effort of enforcement and education throughout Virginia.

Method;
A. Partnerships- Partnerships and workgroups have been formed across Virginia to combat child predators and educate children and parents. Over 100 law enforcement agencies, private industry, civic organizations and law enforcement support organizations have collaborated to pool expertise and resources.

B. Legislative efforts- craft new and enhance existing legislation. A strong alliance and working relationship with Virginia's Attorney General has been forged. This relationship has allowed for the enacting of several key legislative pieces to protect the children of Virginia.

C. Education-
1. Parents & Community safety education programs. Utilizing; schools, civic groups, community sports and churches as outreach tools to educate children, caregivers and parents regarding Internet Safety throughout Virginia.
2. Children's safety education programs - Utilizing; mass media schools, civic groups, community sports and churches as outreach tools to provide children with safety messages.
3. Law Enforcement education- training officers in the basic academies, in-service schools, eight hour symposiums, forty hour undercover schools, facilitating other educational opportunities (NCMEC, NW3C, SEARCH).
4. Support organizations- Training Probation and Parole, Sex Offender Counselors, Prosecutors, Youth sports coaches, etc.
5. BRT has developed a partnership with NW3C and the National Sheriff's Association. Together, we are crafting ICAC training pieces for community and law enforcement. The finished products will then be distributed to agencies across the country.
6. BRT has developed a partnership with the Attorney General's Office, Virginia Community Policing Institute. Together, we are developing new training initiatives, programs and train the trainer modules for law enforcement, parents and children throughout Virginia. This initiative will allow Community policing officers across Virginia, the tools to train citizens in their communities regarding Internet Crimes Against Children.

D. Enforcement-
1. Maintain an aggressive proactive undercover online operation. To date over 780 cases have been perfected, with 50 being prosecuted locally.
2. Establish a network/workgroup of agencies throughout Virginia to collaborate on cases and enhance the prosecution of predators. Currently there are over 100 Cooperative Support Agencies working together.
3. Provide forensic examinations support.

E. Facilitation- Grant funding is used to provide training, equipment and technical assistance to the Cooperative Support Agencies within the Blue Ridge Thunder Workgroup. BRT is facilitating partner agencies to fulfill the mission. Scores of agencies have been provided training, equipment and technical assistance.

1. A law enforcement computer training facility has been established at the Central Virginia Law enforcement Training Academy in Lynchburg. This facility is being used to train hundreds of Investigators regarding online predators and citizens as to safety for their children. Similar facilities will be in place at the regional law enforcement academies in Virginia Beach and Bristol, allowing hundreds of other officers the educational opportunities.
2. Funds are also utilized to provide equipment necessary to establish proactive undercover online operations, forensics training and support.
3. Training is provided to hundreds of officers throughout Virginia by organizations such as; NCMEC, NW3C, VCPI, Fox Valley Technical College and Blue Ridge Thunder personnel.

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