Category Archives: Internet Crimes Against Children

Georgia ICAC Task Force Deploys Case Closed Software for Statewide Triage of CyberTips and Investigation Case Management

Atlanta, Georgia – (January 2, 2024) The Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, housed within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), has announced the deployment of Case Closed Software™ to enhance its efforts in combating online child predators. The investigation software will play a pivotal role in streamlining the handling of CyberTips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), enabling law enforcement professionals to prioritize and investigate cases with greater precision and effectiveness.

The law enforcement software‘s powerful features provide invaluable support in the fight against child exploitation, ultimately making the community safer for everyone. Key features of the Case Closed Software include:

1. CyberTip Triage: The software allows for the efficient categorization of CyberTips received from NCMEC, ensuring that each tip is promptly reviewed and acted upon.

2. Case Management: It facilitates the seamless organization and tracking of investigations, digital evidence, physical evidence, supplemental reports, and entity management, making it easier for law enforcement agencies to manage their ICAC caseloads.

3. Data Analysis: The software offers advanced analytical tools, which can help identify patterns and connections among cases, aiding in the identification and capture of perpetrators.

4. User-Friendly Interface: Designed with the end user in mind, the software offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface, ensuring that law enforcement personnel can maximize its capabilities without extensive training.

The Georgia ICAC Task Force, under the leadership of GBI Director Chris Hosey, is committed to protecting children from online predators. The adoption of Case Closed Software’s innovative solution will enable the task force to better triage CyberTips from NCMEC, determine any connections across disparate CyberTips, and assign the cases to appropriate investigators and affiliates for investigative management purposes.

For more information about Case Closed Software, please visit https://www.caseclosedsoftware.com/icac

 

Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Enhances Fight Against Child Predators with Case Closed Software

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Frederick County, MD] — [October 19, 2023] — The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force , housed within Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, announced today that it has deployed specialized investigation technology from Case Closed Software™ to bolster their efforts in combating online child predators. The groundbreaking software will play a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of investigations into child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), sextortion, and other heinous crimes.

In a relentless pursuit of justice, law enforcement agencies worldwide are facing a mounting challenge in dealing with the increasing prevalence of crimes against children, particularly in the digital realm. To address this critical issue head-on, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office is proud to announce the adoption of Case Closed Software’s innovative solution.

The software is specifically designed to streamline the handling of CyberTips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), enabling law enforcement professionals to prioritize and investigate cases with greater precision and effectiveness. The software’s powerful features provide invaluable support in the fight against child exploitation, ultimately making the community safer for everyone.

Key features of the Case Closed Software include:

1. CyberTip Triage: The software allows for the efficient categorization of CyberTips received from NCMEC, ensuring that each tip is promptly reviewed and acted upon.

2. Investigation Case Management: It facilitates the seamless organization and tracking of investigations, making it easier for law enforcement agencies to manage their caseloads.

3. Data Analysis: The software offers advanced analytical tools, which can help identify patterns and connections among cases, aiding in the identification and capture of perpetrators.

4. User-Friendly Interface: Designed with the end user in mind, the software offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface, ensuring that law enforcement personnel can maximize its capabilities without extensive training.

Case Closed Software’s Douglas Wood speaks last month to ICAC Commanders about the use of technology in the fight against CSAM.

 

Case Closed Software’s CEO, Douglas Wood, commented, “We are honored to support the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office in their mission to combat child exploitation. Our software empowers law enforcement to efficiently investigate cases involving child predators, ensuring that justice is served and children are kept safe from harm.”

The adoption of Case Closed Software’s specialized investigation software by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office exemplifies their commitment to employing cutting-edge technology to protect the community from the grave threat of child predators.

For more information about Case Closed Software™ and their advanced investigative solutions, please visit www.caseclosedsoftware.com/icac

About Case Closed Software:
Case Closed Software is a leading provider of investigative case management and advanced analytics software for law enforcement agencies. The company is dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that help law enforcement professionals solve crimes, protect communities, and ensure justice is served.

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Case Closed Software™ to Sponsor Internet Crimes Against Children Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Austin, Texas (September 19, 2023)

Case Closed Software™, a leading provider of investigative case management software, is proud to announce its sponsorship of the 2023 NW Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Conference. The conference will be held in Seattle from October 2 through 6, 2023.

ICAC is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces, representing over 5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies. The primary objective of the ICAC program is to investigate, prosecute, and develop effective responses to internet crimes against children.

The NW Regional ICAC Conference is an annual event that brings together professionals from law enforcement, prosecution, and child protection agencies to share knowledge and best practices in the fight against internet crimes against children. This year’s conference will feature a wide range of presentations and workshops on topics such as digital forensics, online safety education, and investigation management.

Case Closed Software is dedicated to providing innovative solutions that help law enforcement agencies streamline their investigative processes and improve collaboration. Their software automates the triage of CyberTips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and includes powerful functionality for multi-jurisdictional investigation case management.

CyberTips are produced through the NCMEC CyberTipline, the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. When a tip is submitted to the CyberTipline, NCMEC staff review each tip and work to find a potential location for the incident reported. The CyberTip is then made available to the appropriate law enforcement agency for possible investigation. Without the software from Case Closed Software, the process of managing and triaging these CyberTips is typically slow and costly.

By sponsoring the NW Regional ICAC Conference, Case Closed Software reaffirms its commitment to supporting the important work done by ICAC task forces across the country.

“We are thrilled to be sponsoring the 2023 NW Regional ICAC Conference,” said Douglas Wood, CEO of Case Closed Software. “This conference plays a crucial role in fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among professionals working to protect children from online exploitation.”

Law enforcement agencies attending the conference will have the opportunity to learn more about Case Closed Software’s suite of CyberTips Triage and investigative case management solutions at their booth in the exhibition hall. Representatives from Case Closed Software will be available to provide live demonstrations and answer any questions about their software.

For more information about Case Closed Software and their suite of investigative case management solutions, please visit www.caseclosedsoftware.com.

 

Using Case Management Software in Anti-Human Trafficking Investigations

In a previous article, we overviewed some Best Practices for Anti and Counter-Human Trafficking NGOs. What follows is an update specific to how purpose-built software can aid in the investigations and rescues.

Human trafficking is a global problem that affects millions of people each year. According to the International Labour Organization, there are an estimated 25 million victims of forced labor and human trafficking worldwide. Anti-human trafficking investigators play a vital role in identifying, investigating, and prosecuting traffickers, but they face numerous challenges in their work. In this blog, we will discuss some of the problems facing anti-human trafficking investigators and how investigation case management software from Case Closed Software™ helps.

  1. Limited Resources

Anti-human trafficking investigators often work with limited resources, including staff, funding, and technology. They may not have access to the latest tools and resources needed to investigate and prosecute traffickers effectively. This can result in a lack of coordination and communication between agencies and delays in identifying and rescuing victims.

Investigation case management software from Case Closed Software helps by providing investigators with a comprehensive platform for managing cases, evidence, and information. The software includes a range of features, such as case tracking, document management, and collaboration tools, that allow investigators to work more efficiently and effectively. With the software, investigators can quickly and easily share information and coordinate with other agencies, resulting in more effective investigations and prosecutions.

  1. Difficulty Gathering and Managing Information

Anti-human trafficking investigators must collect and manage a vast amount of information during their investigations. This can include data on traffickers, victims, and locations, as well as evidence, witness statements, and legal documentation. Managing this information can be challenging, especially when working with multiple agencies and sources.

Investigation case management software from Case Closed Software helps by providing investigators with a centralized platform for managing all case information. The software allows investigators to store and organize information in a structured and secure manner, making it easy to access and share with other agencies. The software also includes powerful search and reporting features, enabling investigators to quickly find and analyze information critical to their investigations.

  1. Data Security and Privacy

Human trafficking investigations often involve sensitive and confidential information that must be protected from unauthorized access or disclosure. Investigators must comply with strict data privacy and security regulations and ensure that information is only shared on a need-to-know basis.

Investigation case management software from Case Closed Software is designed with security and privacy in mind. The software includes robust security features, such as encryption, user access controls, and audit trails, ensuring that data is protected from unauthorized access or disclosure. The software also allows investigators to control access to information on a need-to-know basis, ensuring that sensitive information is only shared with authorized personnel.

  1. Lack of Standardization

Human trafficking investigations can involve multiple agencies, jurisdictions, and international partners. Each agency may have its own processes, procedures, and systems, making it difficult to coordinate investigations and share information effectively.

Investigation case management software from Case Closed Software provides investigators with a standardized platform for managing cases and information. The software allows investigators to establish standard processes and procedures, ensuring that investigations are conducted consistently across agencies and jurisdictions. This standardization makes it easier to share information and coordinate investigations, leading to more effective outcomes.

Conclusion

Human trafficking is a complex and challenging problem that requires a coordinated and comprehensive response from law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders. Anti-human trafficking investigators face numerous challenges in their work, including limited resources, difficulty gathering and managing information, data security and privacy, and lack of standardization.

Investigation case management software from Case Closed Software helps investigators overcome these challenges by providing a comprehensive platform for managing cases, evidence, and information. The software includes a range of features that enable investigators to work more efficiently and effectively, improving the quality and speed of investigations and leading to more successful prosecutions.

San Diego (ICAC) Task Force aids development of technology in the fight against child pornography and child sexual assault material

August 1, 2022 (San Diego, CA)  The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) is on the front lines of the fight against online crimes against children. Their ‘CyberTipline’ is the country’s centralized system for reporting the online exploitation of children.

According to NCMEC’s website, “Concerned individuals and organizations make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestation, child sexual abuse material, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, and unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child.

A full report of the CyberTipline can be found on the NCMEC website.

Working with Law Enforcement

In this important work, NCMEC works closely with The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program. That program was created to help law enforcement agencies enhance their ability to investigate offenders who use online communication systems to sexually exploit children.

In the United States, there are over 60 regional ICAC Task Force agencies representing almost 5,500 individual agencies.

San Diego’s ICAC task force simplifies the triage and investigation of CSAM and crimes against children incidents.

Sergeant Garrick Nugent is commander of the San Diego ICAC Task Force. His task force consists of roughly 33 different agencies that endeavor to work together to investigate cybercrimes against children in San Diego, Imperial, and Riverside Counties. According to Nugent, most investigations begin with NCMEC, which contacts San Diego ICAC when it believes there’s a local case. These tips, referred to as CyberTips, number in the thousands each year for San Diego ICAC alone. And that number has risen consistently over the past five years.

“I truthfully believe there are more cases,” said Nugent in a 2020 interview with a CBS affiliate in San Diego. “I wish I could say we are (keeping up with the volume). We have both children and predators that are at home. They have unprecedented access to the internet. They’ve got lots and lots of time on their hands and therefore I think we’re seeing the increase as a result.”

Dealing With Growing Volume

With each CyberTip comes a host of investigation intelligence including perpetrator usernames, unique IP addresses, suspect information, Internet Service Provider details, and much more. CyberTips also include disturbing multimedia evidence of child sexual assault materials (CSAM) that must be verified by the task force. Each CyberTip must be downloaded, opened, reviewed, verified, prioritized, and assigned to investigators who already maintain a full plate of cases to investigate. To say the problem is overwhelming is an understatement.

Case Closed Software™ and San Diego ICAC’s Investigation Software for ICAC Units

Since 2020, however, Nugent’s ICAC task force has worked in partnership with Texas-based Case Closed Software to develop innovative new systems designed to simplify and speed up the entire process of triaging and managing CyberTips.

The new system was implemented last year and now, according to Nugent, “greatly helps his ICAC task force to efficiently triage the NCMEC CyberTips and to control, direct, organize, review, and track our multi-agency investigations into child abuse and exploitation.”

Working Hand in Hand to Solve Problems

A quote from Nugent on Case Closed Software’s website states “This software is a must-have for ICAC units.”

Douglas Wood is the founder and CEO of Case Closed Software. According to Wood, his company has unique functionality to allow near-instant triage of CyberTips.

“As a result of our unique partnership with San Diego ICAC, users can simply save CyberTips to our CJIS-compliant cloud service, and moments later view all pertinent information for quick and effective triage”, says Wood. “They can then be assigned to any task force case agent who can use the ICAC investigation case management system to work more efficiently through investigations and prosecutions.”

The Crimes Against Children Conference

In a joint announcement, Case Closed Software and San Diego ICAC Task Force stated support for the upcoming 34th annual Crimes Against Children Conference (CACC) in Dallas, TX beginning August 8, 2022.

According to Case Closed Software, conference attendees will be able to see the ICAC task force software in action at the Exhibitor’s Hall. CCAC is presented annually by the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center and provides training to agencies in the fields of law enforcement, social work, child protective services, child advocacy, therapy, and medicine who work directly with child victims of crime.