[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]]

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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]
BILLING CODE 4410-18-P