HELENA — U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced today a $346,984 grant award from the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) to a Montana task force investigating cybercrimes against children and child exploitation.
The OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquecy Prevention (OJJDP) Montana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force grant will enable the task force to maintain its effectiveness in preventing, disrupting, investigating and prosecuting cybercrime expand and improve children and technology-related exploitation of children.
The grant is among nearly $105 million in OJP grants from the Department of Justice announced earlier this month to protect children from exploitation, trauma and abuse and to fund improvements in how the justice system handles cases of child abuse and neglect .
“Children should be allowed to live, grow, learn and thrive in environments that are supportive and nurturing, but many are denied that opportunity by threats to their health and safety,” said Administrator Liz Ryan of the OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJ DP ). “By making these resources available to professionals who have dedicated their careers and lives to protecting children, we are fulfilling our commitment to the well-being of America’s youth.”
“I am pleased to announce this grant to the Montana ICAC Task Force. This program was created to assist state and local law enforcement agencies by improving investigations into those who use technology such as the internet and social media to sexually exploit and harm children through child pornography, coercion and human trafficking. We remain committed to protecting our children and aggressively pursuing predators,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
OJP OJJDP grants distribute millions of dollars to local, state, and tribal courts throughout the United States, the US Territories, and the District of Columbia to support child protection efforts.
The OJJDP grant for the Montana ICAC Task Force was awarded to the Montana Department of Justice, which manages the funding. The primary goal of the ICAC Task Force is to increase the quantity and quality of detection, investigation, arrest and prosecution of crimes against children aided by electronic technologies. The task force will also provide educational programs for law enforcement officers, teachers, parents and children; serve as a resource for law enforcement agencies for both investigative and forensic investigations; assisting with the prosecution of cases as needed; and participate in nationally coordinated investigations.
This award is given as part of the regular cycle at the end of the fiscal year. For more information about ODJJP and other OJP awards, visit the OJP Grant Awards Page.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the country’s ability to prevent and reduce crime, promote racial justice in the administration of justice, serve victims, and strengthen criminal and strengthen juvenile justice. For more information about OJP and its components, visit www.ojp.gov.
XXX
