The National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, 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 Delaware Department of Justice, partnering with the Delaware State Police and the United States Attorney's Office, with the support of the other Task Force Affiliates, will continue its collaborative and multi-faceted law enforcement and prosecutorial Task Force to enhance the state's ability to prevent, identify, investigate and prosecute predators that prey on children. The primary goal of the Task Force involves expanding the quantity and quality of detection, investigation, apprehension and prosecution of electronic communications-facilitated crimes against children. Funding under this project will be utilized to maintain the employment of two Delaware Department of Justice Senior Forensic Investigators assigned to the Task Force. Since the addition of these investigators, the Task Force has seen a substantial increase in the number of digital forensic examinations of child sexual exploitation cases. This goal impacts the entirety of the Task Force's operation as it will enhance the aggressive investigation and follow-up of all tips and referrals, proactive peer-to-peer investigations, and participation in nationally coordinated investigations. NCA/CF.
