2017 National Law Enforcement Training on Child Exploitation

Transcription

1 2017 National Law Enforcement Training on Child Exploitation 2017 National Law Enforcement Training on Child Exploitation JUNE 6-8, 2017 ATLANTA, GA Post Conference Report

2 A SUCCESSFUL TRAINING EVENT This three day conference brought together 1,497 law enforcement and prosecutorial professionals from every level of government to strengthen critical relationships and learn from experts in their fields. Child exploitation is a growing global threat facilitated by the expansion and ever-changing nature of technology. The proliferation of smartphone cameras and webcams allows offenders to easily produce child pornography anywhere in the world and the victims need not even be in the same country. Increasingly, child pornography is shared anonymously and untraceably via encrypted files on the Darknet. It is clear that fighting these crimes requires special expertise. The 2017 National Law Enforcement Training on Child Exploitation provided a singular opportunity for law enforcement and prosecutorial professionals to come together to learn cutting-edge techniques, to share information, and to improve collaboration. During the opening ceremony, Attorney General Jefferson B. Sessions III addressed the importance of building and strengthening partnerships and how critical it is that we continue to adapt to their [predators] tactics; learn about the latest investigative technologies and techniques; and share ideas with each other. Attorney General Sessions concluded, That is the kind of teamwork it takes to find these predators and bring them to justice. The importance of teamwork also extends to the broader public. We need to help our fellow citizens know what to watch for, and encourage them to tell us when they see something troubling. POST CONFERENCE REPORT 1

3 EVENT HIGHLIGHTS TOGETHER WE WILL WIN Standing together, we will send a message to the predators and pimps, the child abusers and the sextortionists and the traffickers: You will not harm our kids. And we will never rest until we find you and bring you to justice for your appalling acts. Attorney General Jefferson B. Sessions III The Honorable Jefferson B. Sessions III Attorney General of the United States It s also crucial for us to build and strengthen partnerships. We know the child pornographers, sextortionists, and human traffickers work together and help each other. So we need a united front to stop them. John A. Horn United States Attorney, Northern District of Georgia We d like to think that Atlanta is an appropriate place to hold this conference because of the proud history that we have in prosecuting these kinds of child exploitation cases. D. Scott Dutton Deputy Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation It takes a special person to work these types of cases; the commitment and the difficulty in working these cases. I thank every one of you for what you do every day. The bottom line is this couldn t be done without you. Eileen M. Garry Acting Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs You are only as strong as you are united. Your unity and shared sense of mission bind you together and allow you to pursue and to take down predators that often work beyond jurisdictional boundaries or moral constraints NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ON CHILD EXPLOITATION

4 OPENING CEREMONY The opening ceremony featured the presentation of the colors by the Atlanta Police Department Honor Guard and the singing of the National Anthem by Julia Brosas of the Gwinnett Young Singers. Eileen M. Garry, Acting Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs welcomed attendees, noting Our greatest strength, in the ever-changing battlefield, is the partnerships we have developed that span the federal, state, and local law enforcement levels. It is our ability to work together across jurisdictional, state and even national boundaries that makes the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program so effective. Both D. Scott Dutton, Deputy Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and John A. Horn, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, spoke to attendees, welcoming them and thanking them for their efforts. As a testament to the importance of this training event, the Attorney General of the United States, the Honorable Jefferson B. Sessions III, addressed the group as the keynote speaker. With emerging technology, It s crucial that we continue to adapt to their [predators] tactics; learn about the latest investigative technologies and techniques; and share ideas with each other. That s what all of you will be doing this week stated Attorney General Sessions. Produced by A21 Campaign, an international anti-trafficking group. At the conclusion of Attorney General Sessions address, he unveiled a public service announcement (PSA), Can You See Me, that reinforces the importance of recognizing the signs of child sex trafficking and reporting suspected crimes. POST CONFERENCE REPORT 3

5 ATTENDEE DEMOGRAPHICS With representation from every region of the United States and several countries, conference attendees comprised a diverse group with a common cause the elimination and prevention of technology-facilitated crimes committed against children. While the majority of attendees came from the United States, others traveled from Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and as far as Australia. 40% 30% 20% Returning Attendees 22% 29% 34% Federal, state, county and local agencies were all represented. Law enforcement officers represented the majority of those attending. Correction/probation officers and prosecutors were also well represented. Other attendees included members from tribal communities, non-governmental organizations and approved industry professionals. 10% USA Canada Netherlands Sweden UK Puerto Rico Virgin Islands India Guam Switzerland Australia NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ON CHILD EXPLOITATION

6 DIVERSE ATTENDEES Attendees by Discipline Law Enforcement 81% Prosecution 12% Other 3% Correction/ Probation 2% NGO and Education 1% Attendees by Agency Type Tribal NGO Other State Federal City/Local/ County POST CONFERENCE REPORT 5

7 EXPERT SPEAKERS The 2017 National Law Enforcement Training on Child Exploitation featured over 170 national and international subject-matter experts. The experts represented many different disciplines, including federal, state and local law enforcement, federal and state prosecutors, executives of non-governmental organizations and specialists from private-sector organizations. Most are active practitioners in the fight against child exploitation, who brought innovative technology and current techniques to the classroom. Federal Speakers by Agency Type 43% City / Local / County State Industry OJJDP ICAC Training Provider NGO 15% 14% 13% 9% 3% Other 2% Speakers by Discipline Law Enforcement 43% Prosecution 25% Industry Professional 13% Education 11% Other 8% NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ON CHILD EXPLOITATION

8 OVERALL EXPERIENCE The conference, which was one of the largest events in the nation, focused on the prevention, investigation and prosecution of technology-facility crimes against children. Attendees had 95 unique lecture (classroom) workshops to choose from over the three day training. In addition, attendees were able to participate in any of the 40 unique hands-on computer lab workshops where they were able to actively learn how to use tools and techniques to identify predators. Lab workshops focused on specialized investigative techniques, ranging from core investigative skills to advanced courses on various peer-to-peer networks, the Darknet and anonymization. Lecture sessions included case studies, emerging investigative strategies, legal issues, how to identify and work with victims, understanding predatory behaviors and officer wellness and safety. Popular Sessions Included: Interviewing Travelers The variety of topics Investigative Tactics for Triaging Mobile Devices Investigating and Prosecuting Offenders Who Use Tor available was fantastic. Offenders Who Occupy Positions of Trust Cat Got Your Tongue? When Your Suspect Does Not Want to Talk Conference Attendee This is hands down the best conference I ve ever attended. Extremely well run and I loved the mobile app. I will definitely return next year. WELL DONE! Conference Attendee POST CONFERENCE REPORT 7

9 TRAINING PARTNERS The U.S. Department of Justice s Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention would like to thank our partners who have worked together to develop and deliver training pertinent to the mission of the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction: Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program National Center for Missing & Exploited Children U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Criminal Division Executive Office for United States Attorneys Federal Bureau of Investigation Office of the Attorney General Office of the Deputy Attorney General U.S. Marshals Service U.S. Postal Inspection Service Once again, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia ICAC Task Force were outstanding hosts for this training event, and their assistance with various key logistics was greatly appreciated. The Atlanta Police Department played a pivotal role in the opening ceremony as they presented our nation s colors. The following agencies and OJJDP ICAC training providers graciously donated computer labs making it possible for attendees to have hands-on classroom experience. Bedford County Sheriff s Office Florida Department of Law Enforcement National Center for Missing & Exploited Children National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College National White Collar Crime Center SEARCH Group, Inc NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ON CHILD EXPLOITATION

10 THE EXHIBITORS Twenty-nine exhibitors were present to showcase the latest in software, hardware, tools and training. These exhibitors gave attendees the opportunity to see state-of-the-art technology in action, ask questions about their products and services and provide product reviews as consumers in the field. For the exhibitors, the training event offered a unique opportunity to reach nearly 1,500 potential and existing customers in one place to continue to build business relationships. As technology continues to evolve and at such a rapid pace, national events such as this help bridge the gap between providers and consumers of innovative solutions. Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program OSForensics by PassMark Software National Criminal Justice Training Center Fox Valley Technical College POST CONFERENCE REPORT 9

11 EXCELLENT RESULTS By all accounts, the 2017 National Law Enforcement Training on Child Exploitation was a resounding success. Many factors can be attributed to its success including, a detailed collaborative planning process, committed inter-agency coordination and effective partnerships amongst the key stakeholders. Analysis of the event evaluations show that 98% of attendees rated the training very highly and would recommend this training to their colleagues. A secure mobile app was used to collect analytical data as well as distribute important information to conference attendees and speakers. That is why this training is so important. These depraved people are always looking for an edge, so they can continue to exploit kids and avoid justice. It s crucial that we continue to adapt to their tactics; learn about the latest investigative technologies and techniques; and share ideas with each other. Attorney General Jefferson B. Sessions III Successful events as large as this one require careful planning and execution and the 2017 National Law Enforcement Training on Child Exploitation was no exception. The collaboration between the federal agency partners, the many members of the ICAC Task Force Program, and the ICAC training providers was pivotal in making this conference an immense success. The longstanding and strong partnership between the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical College, the event coordinators, resulted in another U.S. Department of Justice large-scale, high-profile training event that ran smoothly, received outstanding evaluations, and provided vital training to those charged with protecting children. These partnerships and this dedicated team brought together the required expertise needed to thoughtfully and professionally execute this project from event conception through post-event initiatives. 1,400 1, Attendees 1,170 1,485 1, * * - No national conference was conducted in 2014; instead 4 regional mini events were conducted NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING ON CHILD EXPLOITATION

12 JUNE 6-8, 2017 ATLANTA, GA Post Conference Report This project is supported by Grant #2014-MC-FX-K003 awarded by the OJJDP, OJP, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.