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DOJ Awards $400,000 to Kentucky to Combat Internet Crimes Against Children

"We're proud to partner with and continue supporting the ICAC task forces"

Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales today announced an award from the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) of $400,000 to the Kentucky State Police to continue funding of the Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force. The ICAC program encourages communities to develop regional, state or multi-state, jurisdictional, and agency responses to technology-facilitated sexual crimes against children. The Kentucky task force began in 2003 and combines the skills of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and computer specialists throughout the region in effective enforcement efforts against Internet crime.

"The ICAC task forces are critical to our Nation's effort to safeguard young people from online victimization and abuse," said Gonzales of the new funding announced today. "As a father and as the chief law enforcement officer, I care deeply about these issues, and I've made protecting our children a priority for the Justice Department. We're proud to partner with and continue supporting the ICAC task forces."

In 2005, the ICAC task force investigated 313 complaints of child enticement, resulting in 22 arrests of individuals intent on meeting children for sexual encounters or who manufactured, traded, or possessed child pornography.

"As long as our children use the Internet, there will unfortunately be predators who seek to exploit them," said Regina B. Schofield, assistant attorney general for the Office of Justice Programs. "Since their inception just eight years ago, our Internet Crimes Against Children task forces have made over 7,000 arrests. This grant shows that the Department of Justice is committed to supporting the ICAC task forces and our state and local law enforcement as they seek to make their communities safe from Internet predators."

Nationwide, between October 1, 2005, and June 30, 2006, the Justice Department-funded ICAC task forces have received over 13,800 complaints of technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation, which includes the possession, distribution, and creation of child pornography, as well as attempts by individuals to lure and travel to meet children for sexual encounters. Investigations initiated from complaints have led to over 1,400 arrests, forensic examinations of more than 6,600 computers, over 2,500 case referrals to non-ICAC law enforcement agencies, and the provision of training for more than 8,000 law enforcement officers and prosecutors.