[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 158 (Tuesday, August 17, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44808-44811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21228]
[[Page 44807]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part III
Department of Justice
_______________________________________________________________________
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
_______________________________________________________________________
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Training and Technical
Assistance Program; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 158 / Tuesday, August 17, 1999 /
Notices
[[Page 44808]]
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
[OJP (OJJDP)-1242]
RIN 1121-ZB76
Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Training and
Technical Assistance Program
AGENCY: Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention, Justice.
ACTION: Announcement of Discretionary Competitive Assistance Grant.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), pursuant to Public Law 105-277, October
19, 1998, the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental
Appropriation Act of 1999, is requesting applications from
organizations to provide a training and technical assistance program
that will assist OJJDP in developing and delivering programs and
activities designed to counter the computer-facilitated sexual
exploitation of children. Congress has directed OJJDP to sponsor ``town
meetings to focus on cybercrimes against children in local communities
across the country'' and to deliver ``highly technical sophisticated
computer training for State and local law enforcement.'' In addition to
town meetings, activities will include delivering computer forensic
training to State and local law enforcement officers, and providing
OJJDP with the technical assistance capacity to administer the Internet
Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC Task Force) Program.
DATES: Applications must be received by October 1, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Interested applicants must obtain an application kit from
the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 800-638-8736. The application kit
is also available at OJJDP's Web site at www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/grants/
about.html/#kit.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Medaris, ICAC Task Force
Program Manager, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention,
202-616-8937.
This is not a toll-free number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose
This program has two purposes. The first is to assist State and
local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative response to
sexual exploitation of children by offenders using the Internet, online
communication systems, or other computer technology. The second is to
assist OJJDP to administer the ICAC Task Force Program through the
provision of training and technical assistance and other activities as
determined by OJJDP. For purposes of this program announcement,
``Internet crimes against children'' refers to sexual exploitation of
children facilitated by computers and includes crimes of child
pornography and online solicitation for sexual purposes.
Background
Industry experts estimate that more than 10 million children
currently go online and, by the year 2002, 45 million children will use
cyberspace to talk with friends, explore the universe, or complete
homework assignments. While providing almost limitless opportunities to
learn, the Internet has also become the new venue for predators seeking
children to victimize. Cloaked in the anonymity of cyberspace, sex
offenders can capitalize on the natural curiosity of children, seeking
victims with little risk of detection. Preferential sex offenders
1 can roam from chat room to chat room trolling for children
susceptible to victimization. This alarming trend has grave
implications for parents, teachers, and law enforcement officers
because it circumvents conventional safeguards in place for the
physical world and provides sex offenders virtually unlimited
opportunities for unsupervised contact with children.
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\1\ For the purposes of this program, preferential sex offenders
are defined as individuals whose primary sexual focus is on
children.
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The Internet has also become a major medium for distribution of
child pornography. In 1982, in New York v. Ferber, 458 U.S. 747 (1982),
the Supreme Court stated: ``The distribution of photographs and films
depicting sexual activity by juveniles is intrinsically related to the
sexual abuse of children . . . the materials produced are a permanent
record of the children's participation and the harm to the child is
exacerbated by their circulation.'' Child pornography not only depicts
the sexual assault of a child, but is also used by child molesters to
recruit, seduce, and control future victims. It is used to break down
inhibitions, validate sex between children and adults as normal, and
control the victim throughout the molestation. When the offender loses
interest, it is often used as blackmail to ensure the child's silence
and in these most egregious cases, child pornography allows the
molester to go unpunished and the victim untreated. It is clear to
OJJDP that the intersecting of the increasing online presence of
children, the proliferation of child pornography, and preferential sex
offenders ceaselessly searching for unsupervised contact with underage
victims presents a significant threat to the health and safety of
children.
In response to this threat, Congress in the FY 1998 Omnibus
Appropriations Act, Public Law 105-119, authorized OJJDP to stimulate
the creation of ``State and local law enforcement cyber units to
investigate child sexual exploitation.'' In September 1998, with 10
awards to State and local law enforcement agencies across the Nation,
OJJDP initiated a national program to counter the emerging threat of
offenders using the Internet or other online technology to sexually
exploit children. Designed to encourage communities to adopt a
multidisciplinary, multijurisdictional response to online enticement
and child pornography cases, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task
Force (ICAC Task Force) Program ensures that participating State and
local law enforcement agencies can acquire the necessary knowledge,
equipment, and personnel resources to prevent, interdict, or
investigate ICAC offenses. Under this program, ICAC Task forces serve
as regional sources of prevention, education, and investigative
expertise to provide assistance to parents, teachers, law enforcement,
and other professionals working on child victimization issues.
Agencies receiving ICAC Task Force Program funding in FY 1998 were
Bedford County, Virginia, Sheriff's Department; Broward County,
Florida, Sheriff's Department; Colorado Springs, Colorado, Police
Department; Dallas, Texas, Police Department; Illinois State Police;
New York State Division of Criminal Justices Services; Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, Police Department; Sacramento County, California, Sheriff's
Office; the South Carolina Office of the Attorney General; and the
Wisconsin Department of Justice.
Under a cooperative agreement with OJJDP, the National Center for
Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) also plays a crucial role in
enhancing the national response to Internet crimes against children by
providing a wide range of activities including the CyberTipline, which
provides a way for children, parents, and concerned citizens to report
information online about suspected child exploitation activity to law
enforcement; prevention and education programs; and training courses
for law enforcement. For example, NCMEC's Protecting Children
[[Page 44809]]
Online course provides investigators specific information regarding
behavior characteristics, technical demands of Internet investigations,
interviewing and interrogation techniques, and other aspects of law
enforcement essential to effective investigation of these offenses. Its
Protecting Children Online Unit Commander Seminar focuses on the
broader policy and procedural issues that confront law enforcement
managers developing strategies for responding to Internet crimes
against children.
In FY 1999, OJJDP will provide continuation funding to the 10
original task forces. It will also expand the ICAC Task Force Program
by adding 8 new agencies.
OJJDP ICAC Task Force Program Management
Nearly all law enforcement investigations start with a
determination of jurisdiction and in making that determination, time,
place, and location are important considerations. However, this
conventional approach is virtually meaningless in the electronic world
of cyberspace, and preferential sex offenders have quickly developed
substantial expertise in adapting this ambiguity to further their
criminal activities.
Few ICAC cases begin and end within the same jurisdiction, and
investigations usually cross town, State, or even international
borders. Accordingly, nearly all ICAC investigations involve multiple
jurisdictions and require interagency coordination and communication.
Absent meaningful case coordination, it is likely that law enforcement
will simultaneously investigate identical suspects and organizations or
target undercover operatives of other law enforcement agencies. Lack of
communication can also contribute to law enforcement officers
inadvertently disrupting clandestine investigations of other agencies.
The obvious need for interagency cooperation and coordination also
stimulates interest in establishing standards for ICAC undercover
investigations. Representatives from Federal, State, and local law
enforcement agencies have repeatedly expressed concern about initiating
investigations based on outside agency referrals that may be predicated
on information acquired through inappropriate officer conduct or
investigative techniques.
The clandestine nature of undercover operations along with the
Internet's metaphysical aspect significantly increases these concerns.
Undercover operations, when executed and documented properly, collect
virtually unassailable evidence regarding a suspect's predilection to
sexually exploit children. These operations allow law enforcement to go
on the offensive and--what is most important--children do not have to
be victimized to bring a case. While there is substantial consensus
that carefully managed undercover operations by well-trained officers
are very effective, they also generate significant concerns regarding
legal, coordination, communication, and resource management issues.
To address these concerns, OJJDP has established ICAC Task Force
operational and investigative standards (Standards) through a
collaborative process with the 10 original ICAC Task Force agencies and
Federal prosecutorial and law enforcement agencies.2 The
Standards were designed by the Task Force agencies to foster
information sharing, coordinate investigations, ensure the probative
quality of undercover operations, and facilitate interagency case
referrals through standardization of investigative practices.
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\2\ Participating in development of the Standards were
representatives from the United States Customs Service (USCS), the
United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the National Center
for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and--from the Department
of Justice--OJJDP, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Child
Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Criminal Division,
and the Executive Office for United States Attorneys.
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OJJDP has also established an ICAC Task Force Review Board (Board),
composed of local prosecutors and law enforcement executives from
participating agencies, to review proposed undercover operations for
compliance with the principles of the Standards, formulate policy,
encourage case coordination, and facilitate information sharing on
trends, investigative techniques, and prosecution strategies.
In sum, program management for the OJJDP ICAC Task Force involves:
Ensuring that ICAC Task Force personnel are adequately
trained and equipped.
Maintaining ICAC investigative standards to facilitate
interagency case referrals.
Advocating coordination and collaboration among Federal,
State, and local law enforcement agencies investigating ICAC offenses.
Fostering meaningful information sharing to avoid
redundant investigations or disruptive activities to ongoing
investigations of other agencies.
Maintaining an advisory board to review undercover
operations proposals and to formulate policy for the operation of the
ICAC Task Force Program.
Goal
To develop a training and technical assistance program to assist
State and local law enforcement to respond to ICAC offenses and to
assist OJJDP in supporting the ICAC Task Force Program.
Objectives
The project must accomplish the following objectives:
Develop and deliver a technical investigative course that
complements the curriculum of NCMEC's Protecting Children Online
course. This new technical investigative course must feature a hands-on
approach and be capable of being offered regionally. It should provide
information regarding legal issues, hardware and software
specifications, evidence collection procedures, and specific
investigative techniques to assist law enforcement to effectively
respond to computer-facilitated sexual exploitation cases.
Using the ``town meeting'' concept, assist OJJDP and NCMEC
to sponsor events to promote awareness and encourage jurisdictions to
develop communitywide prevention and interdiction efforts related to
ICAC offenses.
Develop a logistical support program to facilitate OJJDP
ICAC Task Force Board meetings.
Develop a technical assistance capacity composed of a
cadre of expert practitioners who have expertise in task force
implementation including the development of multiagency response
protocols, information sharing, performance measures, Federal grant
reporting requirements, and investigative and technical aspects of ICAC
investigations.
Develop an ICAC offense training and technical assistance
directory that includes information regarding existing prevention and
education programs and publications and provides a list of technical
and investigative course providers that offer training relevant to ICAC
investigations.
Develop an ongoing needs assessment system to assist OJJDP
to plan future training and technical assistance programs.
Program Strategy
OJJDP is consolidating a wide range of training, technical
assistance, and town meeting activities to achieve cost savings and to
ensure that these activities are carried out with a consistent point of
view and comply with the OJJDP ICAC Task Force
[[Page 44810]]
Standards. Because the Standards contain sensitive investigative
information, they will not be made available to organizations during
the application phase of this program. However, for the purposes of
responding to this request for proposals, applicants should be aware
that the Standards express broad law enforcement themes that pertain to
target selection, supervision, media releases, evidence collection
procedures, undercover conduct, and other issues regarding ICAC
investigations. OJJDP will make the Standards available to the
successful applicant once the award is made.
During the implementation of these activities, the applicant will
be expected to collaborate with NCMEC and to work closely with OJJDP.
Eligibility Requirements
OJJDP invites applications from public and private nonprofit
agencies. Joint applications from two or more eligible applicants are
welcome; however, one applicant must be clearly indicated as the
primary applicant (for correspondence, award, and management purposes)
and the others indicated as coapplicants.
Selection Criteria
OJJDP will convene a peer review panel to evaluate and rank
applications and to make a funding recommendation to the OJJDP
Administrator. Although peer review recommendations are given weight,
they are advisory only and the final award decision will be made by the
OJJDP Administrator. OJJDP will negotiate specific terms of the award
with applicants being considered for the award. Applicants will be
rated and evaluated according to the criteria outlined below.
Problem(s) To Be Addressed (10 points)
The applicant should clearly demonstrate an understanding of the
program concept and in particular, an understanding of a program
requiring reconciliation of Federal oversight responsibilities with the
interests of State and local law enforcement agencies.
Goals and Objectives (10 points)
Applicants must establish goals and objectives for this program
that are clearly defined, measurable, and attainable.
Project Design (25 points)
The applicant must present a clear workplan that contains program
elements directly linked to the achievement of the project objectives.
The workplan must indicate significant project milestones, product due
dates, and the nature of the products to be delivered. In addition,
applicant should present a clear concept of how it intends to deliver a
technical computer investigative course that is designed to be offered
regionally and features a hands-on approach.
Management and Organizational Capability (40 points)
The project's management structure and staffing must be appropriate
for the successful implementation of the project. Applicants must
present resumes of staff (either permanent or contractual) with
expertise in meeting logistics, computer forensics, curriculum
development, and law enforcement task force implementation and
maintenance issues. Applicants must also present a workplan that
identifies responsible individuals, their time commitment, and their
relation to major tasks and milestones.
The applicant's organizational ability to administer the project
successfully must be clearly documented in the proposal and should
include available computer technology to be utilized in attaining the
objectives. Documentation must include past or current organizational
experience in the subject areas and skills required to achieve the
objectives and with projects of the magnitude and complexity described
in this program announcement. In addition, applicants must demonstrate
an ability and history of handling sensitive information in a
confidential and prudent manner.
Budget (15 points)
Applicants must provide a proposed budget that is complete,
detailed, reasonable, allowable, and cost effective in relation to the
activities to be undertaken. Applicants should consider the following
OJJDP expectations for budget planning purposes:
Deliver at least 8 regional sessions of the technical
investigative course with a projected capacity of no less than 20
students.
Design, support, and deliver at least four town meetings.
(OJJDP anticipates centering these activities around existing ICAC Task
Force jurisdictions.)
Facilitate eight ICAC Task Force Board meetings. Although
transportation and lodging expenses of Board members will be the
responsibility of individual ICAC Task Forces, all other activities or
expenses associated with Board meetings will be the responsibility of
the applicant. This includes, but is not limited to, identifying and
securing meeting space, providing onsite support, communicating with
Board members regarding meeting arrangements, arranging for audiovisual
equipment as necessary, and reimbursing travel and lodging expenses of
guest speakers (no more than two per meeting).
Perform a technical assistance function ranging from
telephone consultation to direct onsite support, using a cadre of
expert practitioners. At the direction of OJJDP, technical assistance
will be provided to assist ICAC Task Forces to comply with the
Standards, assist the Board to formulate and document operational by-
laws for the Program, and based on the availability of funds, assist
other jurisdictions interested in improving their response to ICAC
offenses.
Format
The narrative must not exceed 35 pages in length (excluding forms,
assurances, and appendixes) and must be submitted on 8\1/2\ by 11-inch
paper, double-spaced on one side of the paper in a standard 12-point
font. These requirements are necessary to maintain fair and uniform
standards among all applicants. If the narrative does not conform to
these standards, OJJDP will deem the application ineligible for
consideration.
Award Period
The project will be funded as a cooperative agreement for up to an
18-month budget and project period. Funding of the project in
subsequent budget periods will be contingent upon OJJDP's assessment of
continuing need, availability of funds, and the performance of the
grantee.
Award Amount
OJJDP intends to award one cooperative agreement of up to $400,000
for an 18-month project period.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number
For this program, the CFDA number, which is required on Standard
Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance, is 16.543. This form is
included in OJJDP's Application Kit, which can be obtained by calling
the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse at 800-638-8736 or sending an e-mail
request to [email protected]. The kit is also available online at
www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org/grants/about.html#kit.
Coordination of Federal Efforts
To encourage better coordination among Federal agencies in
addressing State and local needs, the U.S. Department of Justice is
requesting
[[Page 44811]]
applicants to provide information on the following: (1) active Federal
grant award(s) supporting this or related efforts, including awards
from the U.S. Department of Justice; (2) any pending application(s) for
Federal funds for this or related efforts; and (3) plans for
coordinating any funds described in items (1) or (2) with the funding
sought by this application. For each Federal award, applicants must
include the program or project title, the Federal grantor agency, the
amount of the award, and a brief description of its purpose.
``Related efforts'' is defined for these purposes as one of the
following:
Efforts for the same purpose (i.e., the proposed award
would supplement, expand, complement, or continue activities funded
with other Federal grants).
Another phase or component of the same program or project
(e.g., to implement a planning effort funded by other Federal funds or
to provide a substance abuse treatment or education component within a
criminal justice project).
Services of some kind (e.g., technical assistance,
research, or evaluation) to the program or project described in the
application.
Delivery Instructions
All application packages should be mailed or delivered to the
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, c/o Juvenile
Justice Resource Center, 2277 Research Boulevard, Mail Stop 2K,
Rockville, MD 20850; 301-519-5535. Note: In the lower left-hand corner
of the envelope, the applicant must clearly write ``Internet Crimes
Against Children Task Force Training and Technical Assistance
Program.''
Due Date
Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the original and five
copies of the application package are received by 5 p.m. EDT on October
1, 1999.
Contact
For further information, call Michael Medaris, Program Manager,
ICAC Task Force Program Manager, 202-616-3637, or send an e-mail
inquiry to [email protected].
References
Burgess, A., and Grant, C. 1988. Children Traumatized in Sex Rings.
Arlington, VA: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Cage, R., and Pence, D. 1997. Criminal Investigation of Child Sexual
Abuse. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice
Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Dressler, K. 1997. Multijurisdictional Task Forces: Ten Years of
Research and Evaluation: A Report to the Attorney General.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice
Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Farley, R., and Lanning, K. 1997. Understanding and Investigating
Child Sexual Exploitation. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention.
Fuller, K., and Saywitz, K. 1997. Interviewing Child Witnesses and
Victims of Sexual Abuse. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice,
Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention.
Hammerschlag, M. 1997. Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Child
Sexual Abuse. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of
Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention.
Lanning, K. 1992. Child Molesters: A Behavioral Analysis for Law
Enforcement Officers Investigating Cases of Child Sexual
Exploitation. Arlington, VA: National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children.
Lanning, K. 1992. Child Sex Rings: A Behavioral Analysis for
Criminal Justice Professionals Handling Cases of Child Sexual
Exploitation. Arlington, VA: National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children.
Magid, L. 1994. Child Safety on the Information Highway (pamphlet).
Arlington, VA: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,
1994.
Magid, L. 1998. Teen Safety on the Information Highway (pamphlet).
Arlington, VA: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 1998. Know the
Rules (pamphlet). Arlington, VA: National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children.
Quarantiello, L. 1997. Cyber Crime: How to Protect Yourself from
Computer Criminals. Lake Geneva, WI: Tiare Publications.
Rosenblatt, K. 1995. High-Technology Crime: Investigating Cases
Involving Computers. San Jose, CA: KSK Publications.
Whitcomb, D. 1995 Child Sexual Exploitation: Improving
Investigations and Protecting Victims: A Blueprint for Action.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice
Programs, Office for Victims of Crime.
Dated: August 11, 1999.
John J. Wilson,
Deputy Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 99-21228 Filed 8-16-99; 8:45 am]
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