U.S. Attorney David Capp has announced a strategy for fighting crimes against children.

He did so at the Northern District of Indiana Child Sexual Predator Conference in Merrillville.

Capp’s strategy addresses the problems related to sexual predators, kids, and the Internet.

“Every day children face increasing exposure to child pornography on the Internet along with Internet sexual predators, cyber-bullying, and other dangers,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement released today. “This initiative will foster continued efforts through law enforcement partnerships and education to fight these crimes.”

At the conference, in addition to learning new techniques in fighting Internet crime, attendees received an Internet Safety 101 packet to assist them in providing education to schools and parents in relation to child sexual predators. The education packet will also be disseminated during regional meetings to be conducted for law enforcement in November 2010.

The five key elements of the strategy:

•Insuring that sex offenders are in compliance with the terms of their probation and parole.

•Improving information sharing between law enforcement and other service providers to investigate and prevent sex crimes and to insure offender accountability.

•Managing high-risk offenders in the community through strategic problem analysis and response development.

•Establishing or enhancing efforts to locate, arrest, and prosecute child sex offenders.

•Providing training and community outreach to law enforcement, schools, and community groups.

The event had over 70 representatives attending from 33 different law enforcement agencies throughout Indiana, including NICTD Transit Police, Valparaiso Police, and the Indiana State Police.

“This office has always, and will continue to, prioritize its efforts in this critical area of crimes against children,” Capp said. “We will continue to work as partners with the U.S. Marshal’s Service, and state and local law enforcement, to protect all children in this district as part of the Justice Department’s important national initiative.”

Posted 9/30/2010