Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2010, $920,896)
This program is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) (the "Recovery Act") and is for implementation of the Providing Resources, Officers, and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-401, 42 USC 17601 et seq.) ("the PROTECT Act").
The stated purposes of the Recovery Act are: to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; to assist those most impacted by the recession; to provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency by spurring technological advances in science and health; to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits; and to stabilize state and local government budgets, in order to minimize and avoid reductions in essential services and counterproductive state and local tax increases.
Under this award the Massachusetts State Police, with partners Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC), University of Massachusetts (UMass), and University of New Hampshire Crimes Against Children Research Center (CCRC) will complete a needs assessment and developmental activities to support the future development of the National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System (NIDS). The project will take 24 months and will include the delivery of:
1. a national needs assessment of case deconfliction and investigative systems;
2. an evaluation of existing technical resources;
3. the development of new software programs or tools to aid investigators;
4. a literature review about links between child pornography and molestation;
5. a research design to fill gaps in assessing dangerousness; and
6. a recommendations for technical specifications for the construction of NIDS.
The project team will work closely with OJJDP, NIDS steering Committee, the ICAC Task Forces and federal, state and local ICAC-affiliated law enforcement agencies and all project activities will be guided by the Department of Justice.
CA/CF