The widespread assimilation of technology into our everyday lives creates a “digital footprint” for each of us—and when technology is used to commit crime, the result is an alarming level of digital evidence. With the increased storage size and commonality of computer technology, the ability to examine evidence with low-cost, open source tools is vital to Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators and forensic examiners. This includes making critical decisions on-scene to ensure that valuable digital evidence is correctly preserved and analyzed, and accurately presented in court.
Current ICAC Task Force investigators, examiners, prosecutors, and allied professionals face a series of interwoven challenges: the vastly expanding number of digital devices recovered in an investigation; the increased data storage capacity of those devices, as well as remote storage capabilities; and emerging technologies that empower offenders to more easily disguise or encrypt their sexual exploitation of children, including new private networks that obscure location information and provide encryption services native to the underlying program. Combined, these issues create daunting challenges.
This project will expand upon SEARCH’s multidimensional strategy to provide ICAC investigators, examiners, and prosecutors with training to combat technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation. The training component will encompass several core deliverables, including hands-on, laboratory-based training; web-based, self-paced training; hands-on, virtual, laboratory-based training; and conference presentations. A longer-term strategic component to the project will evaluate training and technical assistance, to determine practices that other ICAC Task Forces across the country can replicate. In addition, the project will provide for continuous technical assistance to ICAC Task Force members, forensic examiners, and prosecutors throughout the duration of the 12-month project via SEARCH’s well-established web-based national technical assistance program.
The expected outcomes of this project include providing much-needed resources to address the challenges caused by criminals’ increased use of technology, as well as the rapid evolution of digital devices used in criminal activity, particularly to exploit children. It will also provide law enforcement with the necessary tools, expertise, and skill sets to combat crimes with digital evidence through a comprehensive program of training and technical assistance. Moreover, this project will increase the overall capacity to train ICAC investigators, forensic examiners, and prosecutors nationally.
