Hawaii Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force

Using OJJDP funds, the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General will enhance its detection, investigation, apprehension and prosecution of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children through the employment of three (3) full-time investigators and 1 full-time forensic examiner. Due to the high cost of travel from Hawaii to the continental United States, the Hawaii Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force will use internal task force expertise to conduct their own training for affiliate agencies on cell phone and digital forensic preservation. In addition, the task force will expand their community outreach efforts by distributing Internet safety materials to each of Hawaii's 183 public elementary schools.

Pursuant to Section 104 of the PROTECT Act, the ICAC Task Force 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, educator, prosecutors, law enforcement, and other concerned with Internet crimes against children; 4) develop multijurisdictional, multiagency responses and partnerships 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 resource of such task force; 6) establish or adopt investigative and prosecution standards consistent with 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 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; 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.

NCA/CF

Pursuant to Section 104 of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, the ICAC Task Force 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, educator, prosecutors, law enforcement, and other concerned with Interne crimes against children; 4) develop multijurisdictional, multiagency responses and partnerships 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 resource of such task force; 6) establish or adopt investigative and prosecution standards consistent with 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 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; 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 Hawaii Attorney General's (AG) Office has identified the following three goals for the Hawaii Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force program: (1) increase performance in the effectiveness and efficiency of investigations, prosecutions and forensic examinations of ICAC offenses; (2) train investigators and prosecutors to handle ICAC offenses; and (3) increase public awareness and prevention of ICAC offenses. The HI AG's Office plans to accomplish these goals through continued expansion of investigative and prosecutorial efforts, including acquiring and sharing specialized knowledge, personnel, training, and equipment to state, county, and federal law enforcement agencies who have joined the HI ICAC Task Force. Funding will permit the program to build on its proactive and reactive ICAC investigations and prosecutions, its computer forensic capabilities, and its public outreach programs concerning Internet Safety by supporting personnel costs to support investigating and prosecuting ICAC cases as well as coordinating HI ICAC efforts, and providing training opportunities to task force members. This grant will support the salary of the ICAC Task Force Commander, a forensic examiner and two investigators with the HI AG's Office. HI ICAC will sponsor training events offered through the ICAC National Training and Technical Assistance Program as well as providing funding for task force members to attend the National ICAC Conference. Additionally, licenses will be purchased for Encase, Cellebrite, Secure View, and Lantern forensic software.
NCA/CF