Internet Crimes Against Children - Southern Texas (CPD) Task Force

The FY 1998 Justice Appropriations Act Congress provided $2.4 million to OJJDP create the Internet Crimes Against Children Program. In the Conference report that year specific language provided that OJJDP stimulate the creation of "State and local law enforcement cyber units to investigate childsexual exploitation" by offenders using the Internet or online communications technology.

OJJDP developed the ICAC Task Force Program to assist State and local law enforcement agencies to acquire the necessary knowledge, equipment, and personnel resources to prevent, interdict, or investigate ICAC offenses. In FY 1998, ten agencies (1st Tier) received ICAC Task Force cooperative agreements. Subsequent annual funding has allowed for the expansion of the ICAC program to grow to 46 Task Forces. Under this program, these agencies serve as regional sources of prevention, education, and investigative expertise to provide assistance to parents, teachers, law enforcement, and other professionals working on child victimization issues.

With funding provided by the Fiscal Year 2007 Appropriations Act provided to OJJDP, the Texas Attorney General's Office will receive supplemental funding to assist law enforcement and prosecutorial officials in the Huston/Harris County, Texas Metropolitan area with the development of a multi-agency, multi- disciplinary response to ICAC offenses that is composed of federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies and child welfare organizations to: 1) conduct reactive and proactive ICAC investigations; 2) serve as a forensic resource; 3)effectively prosecute cases at the local, state, and federal levels; 4)engage in law enforcement and community outreach activities to include: training, technical assistance, and prevention and education activities; 5)serve as a resource for all communities and agencies within the geographic area of responsibility; 6)effectively respond in a timely manner to referrals from agencies (other task forces, federal partners, Cybertipline, etc; 7)formalize law enforcement partnerships through written agreements (for example, memorandums of understanding); 8)provide financial assistance to partner agencies; 9) require that partner agencies adopt ICAC Task Force Investigative Standards as policy; 10) fully participate in nationally coordinated investigations (for example, Peer Precision). CA/CF

The ICAC program is a national network of multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task forces engaged in proactive investigations, forensic examinations, and effective prosecutions. Additionally, the task forces provide forensic, prevention, and investigation assistance to parents, educators, prosecutors, law enforcement, and others concerned with child victimization issues.

Supplemental funding is being provided for the purpose of developing and implementing strategies to build the Task Forces' capacity to handle forensic investigations and reduce forensic backlogs. CA/NCF

The Texas Attorney General's Office will continue to operate its Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force as part of the national ICAC program operated by OJJDP. The ICAC Task Force in each jurisdiction provides a multi-agency, multi- disciplinary response to ICAC offenses that is composed of federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies and child welfare organizations to: 1) conduct reactive and proactive ICAC investigations; 2) serve as a forensic resource; 3)effectively prosecute cases at the local, state, and federal levels; 4)engage in law enforcement and community outreach activities to include: training, technical assistance, and prevention and education activities; 5)serve as a resource for all communities and agencies within the geographic area of responsibility; 6)effectively respond in a timely manner to referrals from agencies (other task forces, federal partners, Cybertipline, etc; 7)formalize law enforcement partnerships through written agreements (for example, memorandums of understanding); 8)provide financial assistance to partner agencies; 9) require that partner agencies adopt ICAC Task Force Investigative Standards as policy; 10) fully participate in nationally coordinated investigations. NCA/CF