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Support the West Virginia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force

Award Information

Award #
2016-MC-FX-K016
Location
Awardee County
Kanawha
Congressional District
Status
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2016
Total funding (to date)
$1,359,945

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2016, $437,222)

The National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, as established by the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, 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 West Virginia State Police (WVSP) has identified the following goals and objectives for the WV ICAC Task Force: 1) provide technical assistance and law enforcement support for ICAC investigations statewide; 2) train additional investigators on local and national initiatives and work to increase proactive effort during the project period; 3) provide support to all West Virginia law enforcement agencies investigating technology facilitated child sexual exploitation by conducting proactive and reactive investigations; 4) maintain and enhance WV ICAC response, investigative efforts, forensic capabilities and community outreach with regards to ICAC related efforts; 5) conduct both proactive and reactive investigations; 6) provide training, software and equipment to additional investigators in an effort to expand the resources of the WVSP Digital Forensics Unit to increase the unit’s output and to reduce the forensic case backlog; and 7) maximize sentencing of offenders and prevent additional victimization. Grant funds will also support maintenance, upgrades, and improvements to the ICAC Data System (IDS), which supports deconfliction efforts of all 61 ICAC task forces.
NCA/CF

Date Created: August 25, 2016