Combating Child Pornography
Steps Are Needed to Ensure That Tips to Law Enforcement Are Useful and Forensic Examinations Are Cost Effective Gao ID: GAO-11-334 March 31, 2011The Department of Justice (DOJ) reports that online child pornography crime has increased. DOJ funds the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which maintains the CyberTipline to receive child pornography tips. The Providing Resources, Officers, and Technology To Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act of 2008 (the Act) contains provisions to facilitate these investigations and create a national strategy to prevent, among other things, child pornography. The Act directed GAO to report on actions to minimize duplication and enhance federal expenditures to address this crime. This report examines (1) the extent to which NCMEC determines the usefulness of tips; (2) mechanisms to help law enforcement coordination (i.e., deconfliction); and (3) the extent to which agencies are addressing factors that federal law enforcement reports may inhibit investigations. GAO analyzed the Act and spoke to law enforcement officials who investigate these crimes, selected to reflect geographic range, among other things. Although these interviews cannot be generalized, they provided insight into investigations
NCMEC takes steps to obtain feedback from law enforcement on the usefulness of CyberTipline reports; however, it does not systematically collect information on how useful individual reports are for initiating and advancing investigations or about information gaps that limit reports' usefulness. For instance, NCMEC solicits feedback via e-mail or in person quarterly from federal law enforcement liaisons at NCMEC about the overall usefulness of CyberTipline reports. However, according to many law enforcement officials GAO contacted, information in a CyberTipline report may not contain an image of apparent child pornography or may contain old data. NCMEC officials said that they are interested in obtaining additional feedback to enhance the usefulness of its reports and could explore additional methods to gather such information, such as creating a systematic process for obtaining feedback from federal law enforcement. Enhancing its processes for collecting feedback on the usefulness of CyberTipline reports could help NCMEC ensure that reports are as useful as possible to law enforcement. Existing deconfliction mechanisms generally prevent pursuit of the same suspects but are fragmented; DOJ is in the early stages of developing a system to address this fragmentation. Many law enforcement officials GAO contacted reported using various nonautomated (e.g., task forces) and automated (e.g., investigative systems) mechanisms to avoid duplication of effort in investigations. But these officials reported that there is not a single automated system that provides comprehensive case information and deconfliction, which can contribute to difficulties coordinating investigations. As mandated in the Act, DOJ is developing a national system to, among other things, provide law enforcement with a single deconfliction tool. Specifically, DOJ is conducting a needs assessment--which it plans to complete in 12 to 24 months--to use as a basis for system development. However, because DOJ is waiting on the results of the needs assessment to begin system development, it may be several years before the system is operational. Backlogs in the forensic analysis of digital evidence can delay or hinder online child pornography investigations; assessing the costs and benefits of taking extra steps to ensure the integrity of forensic analysis could help determine if there are efficiencies that could reduce backlogs. Forensic analysis of digital evidence consists of the review of information from digital media, such as hard drives, and can prove online child pornography crime. Several factors may contribute to backlogs in forensic analysis, including the steps federal law enforcement agencies believe enhance the integrity of analysis, such as making exact copies of digital evidence to discourage tampering. The FBI takes additional steps it believes enhance integrity, such as separating the forensic examination from the investigation. However, some federal officials and prosecutors GAO spoke with differed on the need for such steps. According to DOJ, the national strategy's working group is in a good position to address backlog issues and having this group assess the costs and benefits of steps taken to ensure the integrity of forensic analysis could help it determine potential efficiencies that could reduce backlogs. GAO recommends that NCMEC enhance its processes to collect feedback to improve tips and that DOJ assess the costs and benefits of steps agencies take to ensure the integrity of forensic analysis. NCMEC and DOJ generally concurred with our recommendations and discussed actions to address them.
RecommendationsOur recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.
Director: Eileen Larence Team: Government Accountability Office: Homeland Security and Justice Phone: (202) 512-6510GAO-11-334, Combating Child Pornography: Steps Are Needed to Ensure That Tips to Law Enforcement Are Useful and Forensic Examinations Are Cost Effective
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United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO:
Report to Congressional Committees:
March 2011:
Combating Child Pornography:
Steps Are Needed to Ensure That Tips to Law Enforcement Are Useful and
Forensic Examinations Are Cost Effective:
GAO-11-334:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of GAO-11-334, a report to congressional committees.
Why GAO Did This Study:
The Department of Justice (DOJ) reports that online child pornography
crime has increased. DOJ funds the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children (NCMEC), which maintains the CyberTipline to
receive child pornography tips. The Providing Resources, Officers, and
Technology To Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act of 2008 (the
Act) contains provisions to facilitate these investigations and create
a national strategy to prevent, among other things, child pornography.
The Act directed GAO to report on actions to minimize duplication and
enhance federal expenditures to address this crime. This report
examines (1) the extent to which NCMEC determines the usefulness of
tips; (2) mechanisms to help law enforcement coordination (i.e.,
deconfliction); and (3) the extent to which agencies are addressing
factors that federal law enforcement reports may inhibit
investigations. GAO analyzed the Act and spoke to law enforcement
officials who investigate these crimes, selected to reflect geographic
range, among other things. Although these interviews cannot be
generalized, they provided insight into investigations.
What GAO Found:
NCMEC takes steps to obtain feedback from law enforcement on the
usefulness of CyberTipline reports; however, it does not
systematically collect information on how useful individual reports
are for initiating and advancing investigations or about information
gaps that limit reports‘ usefulness. For instance, NCMEC solicits
feedback via e-mail or in person quarterly from federal law
enforcement liaisons at NCMEC about the overall usefulness of
CyberTipline reports. However, according to many law enforcement
officials GAO contacted, information in a CyberTipline report may not
contain an image of apparent child pornography or may contain old
data. NCMEC officials said that they are interested in obtaining
additional feedback to enhance the usefulness of its reports and could
explore additional methods to gather such information, such as
creating a systematic process for obtaining feedback from federal law
enforcement. Enhancing its processes for collecting feedback on the
usefulness of CyberTipline reports could help NCMEC ensure that
reports are as useful as possible to law enforcement.
Existing deconfliction mechanisms generally prevent pursuit of the
same suspects but are fragmented; DOJ is in the early stages of
developing a system to address this fragmentation. Many law
enforcement officials GAO contacted reported using various
nonautomated (e.g., task forces) and automated (e.g., investigative
systems) mechanisms to avoid duplication of effort in investigations.
But these officials reported that there is not a single automated
system that provides comprehensive case information and deconfliction,
which can contribute to difficulties coordinating investigations. As
mandated in the Act, DOJ is developing a national system to, among
other things, provide law enforcement with a single deconfliction
tool. Specifically, DOJ is conducting a needs assessment”which it
plans to complete in 12 to 24 months”to use as a basis for system
development. However, because DOJ is waiting on the results of the
needs assessment to begin system development, it may be several years
before the system is operational.
Backlogs in the forensic analysis of digital evidence can delay or
hinder online child pornography investigations; assessing the costs
and benefits of taking extra steps to ensure the integrity of forensic
analysis could help determine if there are efficiencies that could
reduce backlogs. Forensic analysis of digital evidence consists of the
review of information from digital media, such as hard drives, and can
prove online child pornography crime. Several factors may contribute
to backlogs in forensic analysis, including the steps federal law
enforcement agencies believe enhance the integrity of analysis, such
as making exact copies of digital evidence to discourage tampering.
The FBI takes additional steps it believes enhance integrity, such as
separating the forensic examination from the investigation. However,
some federal officials and prosecutors GAO spoke with differed on the
need for such steps. According to DOJ, the national strategy‘s working
group is in a good position to address backlog issues and having this
group assess the costs and benefits of steps taken to ensure the
integrity of forensic analysis could help it determine potential
efficiencies that could reduce backlogs.
What GAO Recommends:
GAO recommends that NCMEC enhance its processes to collect feedback to
improve tips and that DOJ assess the costs and benefits of steps
agencies take to ensure the integrity of forensic analysis. NCMEC and
DOJ generally concurred with our recommendations and discussed actions
to address them.
View [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-334] or key
components. For more information, contact Eileen Larence at (202) 512-
8777 or larencee@gao.gov.
[End of section]
Contents:
Letter:
Background:
DOJ Has To Take Action on Three Remaining Responsibilities under the
Act:
NCMEC Provided ESPs Reporting Guidance and Online Detection
Information:
Expanding Feedback from Law Enforcement Could Help Improve the
Usefulness of CyberTipline Reports and Better Address Increasing
Number of Reports:
Existing Deconfliction Mechanisms, While Fragmented, Generally Prevent
Pursuit of the Same Suspects;
DOJ Is Starting to Develop a National System:
Backlogs in Forensic Analysis of Digital Evidence and Length of Time
ESPs Retain User Data Can Hinder Investigations:
Conclusions:
Recommendations:
Agency Comments, Third Party Views, and Our Evaluation:
Appendix I: Key Federal Agencies Involved in Combating Online Child
Pornography:
Appendix II: Status of Efforts of DOJ and NCMEC's CyberTipline to
Implement Provisions of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008:
Appendix III: Overview of NIDS Components and System Functions
Outlined by the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008:
Appendix IV: Comments from the Department of Justice:
Appendix V: Comments from the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children:
Appendix VI: GAO Contact and Acknowledgments:
Tables:
Table 1: Federal Agencies Involved in Combating Child Pornography:
Table 2: Overview of Process Different Federal Agencies with Liaisons
at NCMEC Use to Review and Forward CyberTipline Reports for
Investigation:
Table 3: FBI Personnel Dedicated to Combating Child Exploitation:
Table 4: FBI Resources Obligated for Combating Child Exploitation:
Table 5: Number of FBI Child Pornography Investigations and Arrests:
Table 6: CEOS Personnel Dedicated for Combating Child Exploitation and
Obscenity Offenses:
Table 7: CEOS Funds Obligated for Combating Federal Child Exploitation
and Obscenity Offenses:
Table 8: Number of ICAC Task Force Child Exploitation Cases
Investigated and Arrests:
Table 9: ICE Personnel Dedicated for Combating Child Exploitation:
Table 10: ICE Resources Obligated for Combating Child Exploitation:
Table 11: Number of Child Pornography Cases Initiated and Arrests by
ICE Agents:
Table 12: Number of USSS Investigations and Arrests Related to Child
Pornography:
Table 13: Full Time and Part Time Postal Inspectors Assigned to Child
Exploitation Investigations:
Table 14: Postal Inspection Service Investigations and Arrests Related
to Child Exploitation and Child Pornography:
Table 15: Status of Efforts of the Attorney General and NCMEC's
CyberTipline to Implement Their Responsibilities under the PROTECT Our
Children Act of 2008:
Table 16: Information on the NIDS Components Required by and Functions
Described in the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008:
Figures:
Figure 1: Number of Arrests by ICAC Task Forces and Federal Law
Enforcement Agencies Involved in Online Child Exploitation and Child
Pornography Investigations from Fiscal Years 2006 through 2010:
Figure 2: Overview of NCMEC Process for Receiving and Disseminating
CyberTipline Reports:
[End of section]
United States Government Accountability Office:
Washington, DC 20548:
March 31, 2011:
The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy:
Chairman:
The Honorable Charles E. Grassley:
Ranking Member:
Committee on the Judiciary:
United States Senate:
The Honorable Lamar S. Smith:
Chairman:
The Honorable John Conyers, Jr.
Ranking Member:
Committee on the Judiciary:
House of Representatives:
The Internet, while changing the way our society communicates, has
also changed the nature of many crimes, including online child
pornography. According to the Department of Justice's (DOJ) National
Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction (National
Strategy), the numbers of child pornography images traded on the
Internet, child pornography offenders, and children victimized by
child pornography have dramatically increased.[Footnote 1] For
example, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces reported
an increase of about 150 percent in the number of arrests for child
pornography-related offenses, from about 2,100 in fiscal year 2006 to
about 5,300 in fiscal year 2010.[Footnote 2] Similarly, since fiscal
year 2006, the number of defendants prosecuted by U.S. Attorneys'
Offices for child exploitation crime, including online child
pornography, increased by 35 percent, with 2,250 indictments against
2,367 defendants filed in fiscal year 2010.[Footnote 3] These crimes
carry severe penalties. For example, for the first offense, possessing
child pornography may result in imprisonment of up to 10 years;
receiving, selling, or distributing child pornography may result in
imprisonment of at least 5 years and up to 20 years; and producing
child pornography may result in imprisonment of at least 15 years and
up to 30 years.[Footnote 4] Further, the offenders who commit child
pornography crimes often pose a physical threat to children. According
to DOJ's National Strategy, analysis of federally prosecuted child
pornography cases indicates contact offenses against children, such as
the sexual abuse of a minor, were discovered in approximately one-
third of all cases.
Digital cameras and computers have made it easier for offenders to
produce and distribute child pornography because they can bypass print
shops and upload photos from their cameras directly to the Internet.
In addition, the increased sophistication of offenders in the
production and distribution of child pornography and the use of
advanced technologies to avoid detection has made it more difficult
for law enforcement to detect their activities and identify suspects
who attempt to hide their identifying information.
In response to the increase in online child pornography crime,
multiple federal law enforcement agencies have developed specialized
units to address crimes against children, and Congress has passed
legislation requiring greater coordination on, and authorizing an
increase in resources available to address, these crimes. For example,
due to the increase in the number of investigations that involved sex
offenders using computers to share pornographic images of minors, in
1995 the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) developed the Innocent
Images National Initiative (Innocent Images), which teams FBI agents
and local police in task forces to conduct undercover investigations
of suspected offenders. Similarly, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE), which enforces trans-border violations of federal child
exploitation statutes and works to, among other things, prevent the
introduction of prohibited contraband, such as child pornography, into
the United States, initiated its Cyber Crimes Center in 1997. Finally,
the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has 45 specially
trained inspectors located in its field divisions who investigate
crimes related to the exploitation of children and have jurisdiction
over these types of crimes that involve the mail. To assist these law
enforcement efforts, DOJ's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention (OJJDP) allocates funds to the National Center for Missing
and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which serves as a national resource
center for information related to crimes against children.[Footnote 5]
The center also maintains the CyberTipline to receive tips on child
pornography from electronic service providers (ESP) and members of the
general public.[Footnote 6] In addition to federal efforts to address
these crimes, state and local law enforcement agencies generally
enforce child pornography laws within their own jurisdictions and may
work collaboratively with federal agencies through federal task forces
to combat child pornography.
More recently, Congress passed the Providing Resources, Officers, and
Technology To Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act of 2008
(PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, or the Act) which requires, among
other things, that the Attorney General create and implement a
National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and
Interdiction.[Footnote 7] The National Strategy, published in August
2010, has the goal of preventing child sexual exploitation from
occurring. The Act also requires that ESPs report to NCMEC any
instances of apparent child pornography that they become aware of on
their networks. In addition, the Act requires the Attorney General to
establish a National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System
(NIDS) to serve as, among other things, a platform to conduct
undercover investigations of child exploitation crime and a
centralized system for deconfliction for federal, state, and local law
enforcement.[Footnote 8]
The Act also directs us to report on, among other things, the efforts
of the Attorney General and NCMEC's CyberTipline in carrying out their
responsibilities under the Act. In addition, it directs us to report
on actions taken to minimize duplication and enhance the expenditure
of federal resources in enforcing, investigating, and prosecuting
child pornography crimes. Specifically, this report addresses the
following questions:
* To what extent have DOJ and the CyberTipline implemented their
responsibilities under the Act?
* What information does NCMEC provide to ESPs to facilitate reporting
of apparent online child pornography to the CyberTipline?
* To what extent does NCMEC have mechanisms in place to help determine
how useful law enforcement agencies find the CyberTipline incident
information and services that it provides for initiating online child
pornography investigations?
* What deconfliction mechanisms exist that help prevent law
enforcement agencies from pursuing the same suspected online child
pornography offenders or interfering with each other's investigations,
and to what extent, if any, could these mechanisms be improved?
* What factors, if any, did federal law enforcement agencies report as
limiting their ability to investigate and prosecute suspected online
child pornography offenders, and to what extent are agencies
addressing these factors?
For all objectives, we analyzed the Act, which outlines requirements
for DOJ, NCMEC, and ESPs, and the National Strategy, which, among
other things, describes information on threats to children and reviews
law enforcement coordination efforts and federal forensic analysis
programs. We also analyzed data from fiscal year 2006 through fiscal
year 2010 on the number of investigations and arrests by federal law
enforcement agencies and ICAC task forces to assess trends in child
exploitation and child pornography cases.[Footnote 9] To assess the
extent to which DOJ and NCMEC have implemented their responsibilities
under the Act, we interviewed DOJ's National Coordinator for Child
Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, the senior official
responsible for coordinating the development of the National Strategy,
and NCMEC officials to discuss efforts to implement the Act's
provisions. We compared these efforts with criteria in standard
practices for program management.[Footnote 10]
To identify the information NCMEC provides to ESPs to facilitate
reporting of apparent online child pornography, we assessed
documentation NCMEC provides to ESPs, such as its guide for reporting
to the CyberTipline, and interviewed officials from NCMEC. To obtain
information on any concerns ESPs had about reporting to the
CyberTipline, we interviewed officials from a nonprobability sample of
19 ESPs, which we selected from among the 620 ESPs that had registered
with NCMEC as of April 2010.[Footnote 11] We selected these 19 ESPs to
reflect a range of geographic locations, types of service provided,
number of tips submitted to the CyberTipline, and number of child
pornography investigations referred to and accepted for prosecution in
the judicial district in which the ESP was located. Their comments
cannot be generalized to all ESPs; however, the interviews provided
perspectives from ESPs about reporting to the CyberTipline. We also
interviewed officials from three civil liberties organizations--the
American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation,
and the Center for Democracy and Technology--to obtain information
about privacy concerns expressed by Internet consumers in response to
ESPs' reporting activities.[Footnote 12]
To assess the extent to which NCMEC has mechanisms in place to help
determine how useful law enforcement agencies find CyberTipline
information, we reviewed relevant documentation, such as NCMEC's
feedback forms and training briefings about the CyberTipline. To
determine trends in the use of the CyberTipline, we analyzed data on
the number of reports submitted by ESPs and the general public and the
number of these reports NCMEC made available to law enforcement from
January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2010.[Footnote 13] We also
interviewed the three federal law enforcement liaisons from the FBI,
ICE, and USPIS located at NCMEC and officials from 8 of the 61 ICAC
task forces about the usefulness of the CyberTipline reports and the
services NCMEC provided. Specifically, we interviewed officials from
ICAC task forces located in six federal judicial districts, which we
selected to obtain geographic representation and based on the number
of child pornography investigations referred to and accepted by U.S.
Attorneys' Offices for prosecution.[Footnote 14] While the information
obtained from these interviews cannot be generalized to all ICAC task
forces or their members, the interviews provided a range of
perspectives about how useful NCMEC's information and services were
for initiating investigations. We compared the mechanisms NCMEC has in
place with best practices articulated in our prior reports
highlighting the importance of soliciting input from users and
assessing whether the information disseminated is meeting users'
needs.[Footnote 15]
To determine what mechanisms prevent law enforcement agencies from
pursuing the same offenders or interfering with each others'
investigations, we assessed information on tools available to
facilitate coordination and deconfliction, such as the ICAC Data
Network Toolkit Manual, as well as memoranda of understanding between
DOJ and agencies participating in the ICAC Task Force Program. We also
reviewed OJJDP's fiscal years 2009 and 2010 grant solicitations for
the NIDS project, the proposal for its development, and grant manuals,
which outlined the agency's approach for system development. To
discuss available mechanisms, we interviewed law enforcement officials
who investigate child pornography offenders in the six judicial
districts we selected. Specifically, we held 20 interviews with law
enforcement officials from FBI, ICE, United States Secret Service
(USSS), and USPIS; 8 interviews with officials from ICAC task forces;
and 7 interviews with Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) who
serve as coordinators for the Project Safe Childhood Initiative.
[Footnote 16] The information obtained from these interviews is not
generalizeable to law enforcement officials or agencies in all
judicial districts. However, it provided examples and perspectives
about law enforcement's efforts to coordinate investigations and use
deconfliction mechanisms.
To determine factors, if any, federal law enforcement agencies
identified that limited their ability to investigate and prosecute
suspected online child pornography offenders and to what extent
agencies are addressing these factors, we included questions on this
topic in our interviews with law enforcement officials from FBI, ICE,
USSS, USPIS, and AUSAs. We also toured FBI, ICE, and USPIS digital
forensic laboratories to observe their forensic processes. In
addition, we interviewed prosecutors from the Child Exploitation and
Obscenity Section (CEOS) who work directly with digital forensic
examiners assigned to CEOS's High Technology Investigative Unit, which
is collocated with CEOS prosecutors, to support investigations and
prosecutions; officials from FBI's Innocent Images and Digital
Evidence Section, which oversees forensic analysis of digital
evidence; officials from ICE's Cyber Crimes Center; and officials from
USPIS's Digital Evidence Unit, which is responsible for forensic
analysis practices, on how these agencies are addressing the factors
identified.[Footnote 17] We compared these efforts to guidance
outlined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for considering
alternative means of achieving program objectives.[Footnote 18]
We conducted this performance audit from September 2009 through March
2011 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing
standards.[Footnote 19] Those standards require that we plan and
perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to
provide a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on
our audit objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a
reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit
objectives.
Background:
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the
CyberTipline:
NCMEC is a private, nonprofit organization that serves as the nation's
resource center for child protection. NCMEC's mission is to assist in
the location and recovery of missing children and to prevent the
abduction, molestation, sexual exploitation, and victimization of
children. NCMEC is congressionally authorized to carry out certain
tasks with grant funding it receives through a cooperative agreement
with OJJDP.[Footnote 20] According to NCMEC, for calendar year 2009,
NCMEC received about 77 percent of its funding from federal sources,
with the remainder coming from other revenue and support, such as
corporate and private donations. From fiscal years 2008 through 2010,
NCMEC operated the CyberTipline at a cost of about $7.6 million, an
average of $2.5 million per year excluding support by computer
programmers.
In support of its mission and consistent with the Missing Children's
Assistance Act, NCMEC maintains a 24-hour, toll-free telephone tipline
for leads from individuals reporting the sexual exploitation of
children and information on the possession, manufacture, or
distribution of child pornography. NCMEC also coordinates public and
private programs to locate missing children; offers technical
assistance, training, and consultation to law enforcement agencies;
and has developed specialized training programs and materials for law
enforcement personnel.
NCMEC also maintains the CyberTipline to receive tips on child
pornography from ESPs, which are required under the Act to report to
NCMEC any instances when they become aware of apparent child
pornography on their networks, as well as from the general public.
[Footnote 21] ESPs that have registered with NCMEC can provide reports
to the CyberTipline through a secure reporting form.[Footnote 22]
NCMEC reported that as of December 31, 2010, 738 ESPs had registered
out of an estimated 5,000 ESPs. According to NCMEC officials, it is
difficult to identify the total number of ESPs or those that have not
registered with NCMEC because there is no single source or list of the
universe of ESPs. Based on our discussions with ESPs, they vary by
types of services provided, ranging from access points to the
Internet, search engines, and classified advertisements, to social
networking sites. They may offer paid and free services, and have
thousands or millions of customers. NCMEC reported that from January
1, 2008, through December 31, 2010, 194 registered ESPs made about
248,000 reports to the CyberTipline.[Footnote 23]
Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Involved in Combating Online Child
Pornography:
As shown in table 1, several federal law enforcement agencies are
involved in, and have specific units devoted to, combating online
child pornography.
Table 1: Federal Agencies Involved in Combating Child Pornography:
Department: DOJ;
Component: FBI;
Law enforcement effort: Proactively investigates crimes against
children. Crimes Against Children Unit coordinators are located in
each of the 56 field offices. Also has Innocent Images to combat
Internet-related sexual exploitation of children.
Department: DOJ;
Component: CEOS, within the Criminal Division;
Law enforcement effort: Prosecutes federal child sexual exploitation
offenses, including child pornography crimes, enticement of children
for sexually predatory purposes, transportation of offenders or
children across state lines for sexually predatory purposes, domestic
sex trafficking of children, and child sex tourism. Provides
prosecutorial guidance to federal law enforcement agencies and U.S.
Attorneys' Offices nationwide. Also develops and refines policies,
legislative proposals, government practices, and agency regulations in
the areas of sexual exploitation of minors.
Department: DOJ;
Component: 94 United States Attorneys' Offices;
Law enforcement effort: Prosecutes federal child exploitation-related
cases.
Department: DOJ;
Component: OJJDP;
Law enforcement effort: Allocates funds and administers the ICAC Task
Force Program, which encourages multijurisdictional and multiagency
responses to crimes against children involving the Internet.
Department: Department of Homeland Security (DHS);
Component: ICE, Cyber Crimes Center;
Law enforcement effort: Enforces trans-border violations of federal
child exploitation statutes. Among other things, works to prevent the
introduction of prohibited merchandise and contraband, such as child
pornography, into the United States and investigates, interdicts, and
prosecutes those individuals involved in possession, receipt,
distribution, advertisement, transportation, and production of child
pornography.
Department: Department of Homeland Security (DHS);
Component: USSS;
Law enforcement effort: Provides forensic and technical assistance in
matters involving missing and sexually exploited children.
Department: U.S. Postal Service;
Component: USPIS;
Law enforcement effort: Investigates child pornography and child
sexual exploitation cases that involve U.S. mail, as well as Internet-
related offenses in cases where mail is involved; The objective of the
child exploitation program is to reduce and deter the use of the
postal system for the procurement or delivery of materials that
promote the sexual exploitation of children.
Source: GAO analysis of information provided by DOJ, DHS, and USPIS.
[End of table]
Appendix I provides additional details on the mission, role, level of
resources, and numbers of investigations and arrests of these agencies.
Trends in the Number of Child Exploitation and Pornography
Investigations:
In its National Strategy, DOJ reported that the incidence of child
exploitation, which, among other things, includes possessing,
distributing, and producing child pornography, has been increasing
since the 1990s, although the precise number of offenders accessing
and trading child pornography material online is not known. For
example, DOJ data show that from fiscal years 2006 through 2010, ICAC
task forces estimate over an 80 percent increase in the number of
complaints received from the public related to the possession,
distribution, and manufacture of child pornography. These task forces
also reported that arrests for child pornography have increased about
150 percent during the same period. FBI, ICE, and USSS reported
increases in arrests of 17 percent, 37 percent, and 69 percent,
respectively, from fiscal years 2006 through 2010. The USPIS reported
a 54 percent decline in arrests for child pornography and child
exploitation involving the U.S. mail. According to officials, this
decline is, in part, due to the increased availability of child
pornography through the Internet rather than the mail. Figure 1 shows
the number of arrests made by ICAC task force investigators and
federal law enforcement related to online child exploitation and child
pornography from fiscal years 2006 through 2010.
Figure 1: Number of Arrests by ICAC Task Forces and Federal Law
Enforcement Agencies Involved in Online Child Exploitation and Child
Pornography Investigations from Fiscal Years 2006 through 2010:
[Refer to PDF for image: multiple line graph]
Number of law enforcement arrests:
Fiscal year: 2006;
FBI: 936;
ICAC task force: 2,148;
ICE: 681;
USPIS: 252;
USSS: 88.
Fiscal year: 2007;
FBI: 1,115;
ICAC task force: 2,525;
ICE: 948;
USPIS: 155;
USSS: 94.
Fiscal year: 2008;
FBI: 1,144;
ICAC task force: 3,133;
ICE: 863;
USPIS: 165;
USSS: 80.
Fiscal year: 2009;
FBI: 1,077;
ICAC task force: 4,492;
ICE: 957;
USPIS: 186;
USSS: 88.
Fiscal year: 2010;
FBI: 1,094;
ICAC task force: 5,317;
ICE: 931;
USPIS: 115;
USSS: 149.
Source: GAO analysis of information provided by FBI, ICE, USPIS, USSS,
and OJJDP.
Note: Joint investigations between federal law enforcement agencies
and ICAC task forces may be counted in both ICAC and federal
investigative data. Although the extent is not known, DOJ officials
said they believe the overlap is minimal.
[End of figure]
DOJ Has To Take Action on Three Remaining Responsibilities under the
Act:
The Act, enacted in October of 2008, requires, among other things,
that the Attorney General create and implement a National Strategy for
Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction and contains provisions
on the establishment of ICAC task forces. It also calls for the
designation of a senior official at DOJ responsible for the National
Strategy--the National Coordinator--who is to act as a liaison with
other federal entities in the development of the strategy. In January
2010, DOJ selected a National Coordinator and in August 2010, to
coincide with the publication of the National Strategy, formed the
National Strategy Working Group to assist with its implementation.
[Footnote 24] This Working Group consists of six subcommittees that
address implementation of specific provisions of the strategy, such as
examining means to reduce backlogs of forensic analysis or
coordinating grant funding with DOJ missions.[Footnote 25] The Act
also establishes in law the ICAC Task Force Program, which is
dedicated to developing responses to online enticement of children by
sexual offenders, child exploitation, and child pornography.
Currently, there are 61 task forces with at least one per state, as
required by the Act. The Act also authorizes the Attorney General to
award grants to these task forces, and in fiscal year 2010, OJJDP
awarded approximately $19 million to state and local law enforcement
agencies.
The Act also contains provisions that require NCMEC to, among other
things, minimize the number of NCMEC employees who are provided access
to CyberTipline images and forward child pornography related tips to
law enforcement to further investigations. According to NCMEC
officials, since the passage of the Act, NCMEC has reduced the number
of employees with access to CyberTipline images by 21 percent from 72
to 57 by removing access to images by employees who transfer from the
NCMEC division that reviews CyberTipline reports to other divisions.
NCMEC also created a "read only" level of access to the CyberTipline
for employees whose job responsibilities require them to have access
to CyberTipline information, but not images. The Act also requires
NCMEC to provide information that relates to any apparent child
pornography image of an identified child to federal, state, and local
law enforcement involved in the investigation of child pornography
crime. NCMEC has several initiatives underway to provide law
enforcement such information. For example, according to NCMEC
officials, it has established a portal that allows law enforcement
agencies access to NCMEC's systems to quickly identify hash values of
identified child victims.[Footnote 26] The portal separates out hash
values of identified child victims from those who have not been
identified so that law enforcement can quickly match hash values they
receive during investigations against the database of image
information. NCMEC officials said that they plan to continue to
register additional law enforcement officers in 2011. Further
information on DOJ's and NCMEC's status in implementing provisions of
the Act is provided in appendix II.
However, to date, DOJ has yet to take action on three provisions of
the Act.
* Specifically, the Act requires the National Institute of Justice
within DOJ to prepare a report, not later than 1 year after enactment
(i.e., October 2009), to identify the factors indicating whether the
subject of an online investigation poses a high risk of harm to
children.[Footnote 27] According to senior DOJ officials, this report
has not been initiated because funds have not been appropriated for
this activity under the Act, and DOJ does not have plans or a time
frame to conduct such a study. However, according to the National
Coordinator, an examination of how such a study would be conducted
would likely be considered by the Working Group as it moves forward.
* In addition, the Act requires the Attorney General to submit a
report to the Judiciary Committees, not later than 12 months after
enactment, on various features of the Act, including an assessment of
the information-sharing structure established in response to the Act
and data related to CyberTipline reports.[Footnote 28] According to
officials, DOJ has not prepared this report and does not yet have a
time frame for completing it.
* Finally, the Act requires the Attorney General to designate, in
consultation with the Secretary of State, foreign law enforcement
agencies to receive CyberTipline reports from NCMEC, as well as
specify the conditions under which a report may be forwarded to such
foreign agencies.[Footnote 29] The Act also requires the Attorney
General to develop a process for foreign agencies to request
assistance from federal law enforcement related to NCMEC's reports.
[Footnote 30] According to the National Coordinator, DOJ has not yet
designated a list of foreign law enforcement agencies to which
CyberTipline reports may be forwarded nor established a process for
these agencies to request DOJ's assistance. Nevertheless, NCMEC
officials said that the center currently refers CyberTipline reports
to some foreign law enforcement agencies through ICE attaches, as
necessary, as we discuss later in this report. DOJ officials said that
they plan to coordinate with NCMEC to determine how their designation
would work best with NCMEC's current process, but has no time frames
for doing so.
DOJ has taken action to implement many of the provisions in the Act,
but DOJ has not yet completed three provisions for which it has
responsibility and has no specific plans or time frames for doing so.
Standard practices for program and project management state that
specific desired outcomes or results, such as the implementation of
these provisions, should be defined and documented in the planning
process along with the appropriate milestones and time frames needed
to achieve those results.[Footnote 31] By defining the steps necessary
to achieve these three provisions along with appropriate time frames
for completion, DOJ could better ensure that it will comply with the
law and be able to obtain information that may allow it to better
protect the public and further investigations. Specifically,
information on the danger posed by individuals being investigated for
online child pornography crime could help law enforcement agencies
allocate investigative resources towards those suspects most likely to
pose a risk to the public. Similarly, an assessment of the information-
sharing structure and data from the CyberTipline and the designation
of foreign law enforcement agencies to receive NCMEC reports could
speed the process of disseminating these reports, which may facilitate
investigations conducted by these agencies.
NCMEC Provided ESPs Reporting Guidance and Online Detection
Information:
NCMEC Has Developed a Guide to Address ESPs' Concerns about Reporting
Apparent Online Child Pornography:
To help ESPs fulfill their responsibilities under law, NCMEC provides
information to ESPs to address their concerns related to reporting
apparent online child pornography to NCMEC's CyberTipline. Under the
Missing Children's Assistance Act, NCMEC is authorized to operate a
CyberTipline to provide ESPs with an effective means of reporting
apparent Internet-related child sexual exploitation.[Footnote 32] The
Act explicitly does not require ESPs to monitor their networks to
detect apparent child pornography, but it requires ESPs to report the
facts and circumstances of incidents of apparent child pornography, of
which they become aware, to the CyberTipline.[Footnote 33] ESPs may
become aware of apparent child pornography on their networks through
passive means, such as receiving reports from users, or through active
means, such as having personnel search for images on their networks or
by monitoring chat rooms to detect instances when users may be trading
illegal images. ESPs may also become aware of child pornography
through technical means, such as using specialized software to detect
and remove illegal files from their systems.
Officials we interviewed from 18 of the 19 ESPs expressed concerns
about making reports of apparent child pornography to the CyberTipline
in fulfillment of their responsibilities under the Act.[Footnote 34]
These concerns included:[Footnote 35]
* Cost: Officials to whom we spoke from 16 of the 19 ESPs expressed
concerns about the costs associated with reporting or monitoring their
networks for apparent child pornography. According to officials from 4
of these 16 ESPs, devoting staff and resources to review and report
apparent child pornography can be costly. Officials from 1 ESP
reported that it cost $500,000 to develop a system to automate
reporting to NCMEC--a reporting system they said was necessary to
address the volume of instances of apparent child pornography
encountered on the ESP's network. Additionally, officials from 13 of
the 19 ESPs we spoke with said that establishing methods to detect
apparent child pornography, while not required, can be costly to
implement. For example, 4 of these ESPs said it was costly to search
for key words, check their computer network for images, or provide
users with a method to flag images. Further, officials from 4 of the
19 ESPs stated that costs have prevented them from implementing these
types of methods, and thus they have relied solely on user complaints
to detect apparent child pornography.
* Technology: Officials with whom we spoke from 10 of the 19 ESPs had
concerns related to technology in reporting and detecting apparent
online child pornography. For example, officials from 5 of these 10
ESPs stated that making a large number of reports, which can contain
hundreds of files per report and multiple submissions, can be a slow
process if done manually, and officials from 3 of these 5 ESPs also
stated that reporting can be technically challenging to automate.
* Psychological Impact: Officials from 10 of the 19 ESPs reported
having concerns over their employees' psychological discomfort that
sometimes results from exposure to apparent child pornography images.
* Litigation: Officials from 7 of the 19 ESPs reported having concerns
about being sued as a result of their reporting responsibilities under
the Act. For example, officials from 2 ESPs stated that forwarding
apparent child pornography images in fulfillment of their
responsibilities under the Act could make them subject to liability
for possessing and transmitting such images. However, the Act states
that any civil claim or criminal charge against an ESP arising from
the performance of reporting or preserving information may not be
brought in any federal or state court.[Footnote 36] Another official
stated that the ESP is often sued for using methods to detect apparent
online child pornography by the customers it reports.
In response to such concerns, in August 2010, NCMEC provided a guide
to registered ESPs that contained, among other things, resources ESPs
could use to help report to the CyberTipline as well as information on
detecting apparent child pornography on their networks.[Footnote 37]
For example, NCMEC's guide includes information on how to automate
reporting by building an interface between the CyberTipline and an
ESP's system so that ESPs can make a large number of reports, such as
several hundred, faster. NCMEC also provides information on how ESPs
may address the psychological impact on employees when they view
apparent online child pornography in order to make reports to the
CyberTipline. For example, NCMEC's guide provides two resources for
individuals who have been exposed to child pornography during the
course of their work. Employees may contact NCMEC to speak to staff in
its Safeguard program, and they may access OJJDP's Web site called
Supporting Heroes in Mental Health Foundational Training, which
provides resources such as videos, guides, and an online
forum.[Footnote 38] Related to concerns about liability, the guide
includes excerpts from the Act about ESPs' reporting requirements,
which state that ESPs have immunity if a lawsuit is brought against
them for downloading and transmitting apparent child pornography if it
was during the course of fulfilling their reporting duties. NCMEC is
providing ESPs with information about their responsibilities to report
incidents of apparent online child pornography to the CyberTipline
through the guide; however, it is too early to tell whether these
concerns have been addressed.[Footnote 39]
NCMEC Provides ESPs Voluntary Methods to Help Reduce Apparent Online
Child Pornography, and Some ESPs Have Developed Their Own Means to
Detect It:
Although ESPs are not required to monitor their networks, NCMEC
provides registered ESPs with voluntary proactive methods that they
may use to detect apparent online child pornography and then report it
as the Act requires. These methods include:
* Key word lists: NCMEC provides lists that contain terms often
associated with child sexual exploitation.
* Uniform Resource Locator (URL) sharing: NCMEC distributes a daily
list of URLs--which specify the address of a Web page and how to
retrieve it--containing apparent online child pornography to ESPs.
ESPs can use this information to help prevent the distribution of
child pornography. For example, ESPs that host Web sites can check the
URL list to ensure that none of the sites that they host are on the
list.
* Hash value sharing: NCMEC provides a list of hash values of apparent
online child pornography to ESPs which use specialized software to
detect and remove illegal files from their systems.
In addition, officials to whom we spoke from 9 of the 19 ESPs reported
taking their own proactive measures to detect and help reduce apparent
online child pornography on their networks so that it may be reported
to the CyberTipline. For example, in addition to receiving customer
complaints, 4 of these ESPs said that they monitor or moderate chat
rooms and forums for apparent online child pornography and 6 reported
using key word lists to search for child pornography, while 3 ESPs
reported that they use both of these methods. These 9 ESPs reported
that they have these additional, proactive mechanisms in place to
better detect apparent online child pornography because they do not
want to allow such illegal activity on their Web sites. On the other
hand, officials from 10 of 19 ESPs reported that they had not
implemented their own additional methods. However, 8 of these 10 used
NCMEC's URL and hash value sharing initiatives, according to NCMEC.
The remaining 2 ESPs did not implement any methods due to cost
concerns, and noted that implementing additional methods to detect
apparent child pornography would be a business decision that would
require them to consider costs, as well as the types of services they
provide.
Further, according to three civil liberties organizations we
interviewed, consumers want to use the Internet freely and do not want
their online activities to be monitored. They stated that ESPs'
proactive monitoring also raises potential constitutional issues
because if ESPs are acting as agents of the government when they
search users' activities and communications, they are subject to the
requirements of the Fourth Amendment to obtain probable cause and a
search warrant.[Footnote 40] However, officials we spoke with from the
9 ESPs that utilize these methods stated that their terms of service
specify that users cannot conduct illegal activity while on their
networks, which includes the possession or trading of child
pornography. Therefore, they said that methods to detect apparent
child pornography are a means of ensuring compliance with the ESPs'
terms of service, which is distinct from conducting government-
directed searches for information.
Expanding Feedback from Law Enforcement Could Help Improve the
Usefulness of CyberTipline Reports and Better Address Increasing
Number of Reports:
NCMEC Makes CyberTipline Reports Available to Law Enforcement Based on
Jurisdiction:
As required under the Missing Children's Assistance Act, NCMEC refers
CyberTipline reports of apparent child pornography from ESPs and the
general public to federal, state, local, and international law
enforcement agencies for investigation, as shown in figure 2.[Footnote
41]
Figure 2: Overview of NCMEC Process for Receiving and Disseminating
CyberTipline Reports:
[Refer to PDF for image: illustration]
ESPs and general public report incidents of apparent child pornography
via the CyberTipline:
CyberTipline:
NCMEC prioritizes the CyberTipline reports and NCMEC analysts conduct
research and analysis on the CyberTipline report. According to whether
or not a geographic jurisdiction can be determined, analysts make the
report available to varying law enforcement agencies:
Jurisdiction can be determined:
NCMEC refers the CyberTipline report (’referral“) to the respective
law enforcement agency (ICACs or international partners) via a virtual
private network for further investigation.[A]
Jurisdiction cannot be determined:
NCMEC makes the CyberTipline report available through the CyberTipline
system to all federal law enforcement agency users with access,
including liaisons located at NCMEC from FBI, ICE, and USPIS. Users
can access all reports and sort them according to agency investigative
priorities. Federal law enforcement liaisons, or staff located at
NCMEC or in the field may review reports to determine if they may
initiate or advance an investigation.
Source: GAO analysis of NCMEC; FBI; ICE; and USPIS data.
[A] Virtual private networks allow NCMEC to disseminate CyberTipline
reports to ICAC task forces or international partners through secure
encrypted connections.
[End of figure]
When a CyberTipline report is initially submitted by an ESP[Footnote
42] or the general public, the reporting party must select one of
eight "reporting categories," including possession, manufacture, and
distribution of child pornography.[Footnote 43] NCMEC then prioritizes
the CyberTipline reports and analysts conduct research and analysis on
them.[Footnote 44] This analysis may include: (1) determining whether
an alleged child pornography image is that of an actual child;
(2) determining whether an image in a CyberTipline report is new or
has been viewed by law enforcement in the past, which may indicate
whether the child in the image is currently being abused;
or (3) among other things, reviewing e-mail addresses, Web addresses,
and other information to determine if the offender associated with the
CyberTipline report may be involved in an organized child pornography
sharing ring. After processing the CyberTipline report, NCMEC analysts
select a "reclassified incident type" which best describes the
completed CyberTipline report. There are currently 17 reclassified
incident types, including confirmed child pornography.[Footnote 45]
NCMEC officials stated that once a CyberTipline report and any
associated analysis has been reclassified, it does not necessarily
mean the tip will be useful to law enforcement in initiating or
advancing an investigation. The determination as to whether a
CyberTipline report may be useful in initiating an investigation is at
the judgment of law enforcement personnel.
NCMEC analysts make the CyberTipline report and their analysis
available to law enforcement according to whether or not a geographic
jurisdiction can be determined. When the geographic jurisdiction of a
CyberTipline report can be determined based on the location of the
suspect, the victim, or both,[Footnote 46] NCMEC will refer the report
("referral") to the respective law enforcement agency (primarily ICAC
task forces) via a secured system called a virtual private network.
[Footnote 47] However, when the jurisdiction of a CyberTipline report
cannot be determined because, for example, the ESP did not include a
zip code or IP address, NCMEC makes the report available through the
secure CyberTipline system to federal law enforcement agency users who
have access to the system.[Footnote 48] As of November 24, 2010, 41
federal law enforcement users had access to this secure system,
including agency liaisons from FBI, ICE, and USPIS who are located at
NCMEC.
The CyberTipline system allows users to access all CyberTipline
reports ever submitted, as well as search for and prioritize reports
of specific reclassified incident types that are of investigative
interest to the agency. According to NCMEC officials, the search
function was designed at the federal agencies' request to allow them
streamlined access to those reports which, based on reclassified
incident types, they indicated most often fall within their
investigative purview. For example, the FBI liaison can choose to
search for all CyberTipline reports associated with confirmed child
pornography. Federal law enforcement liaisons, or staff located at
NCMEC or in the field, may review reports to determine if they may
initiate or advance an investigation, as described in table 2.
Table 2: Overview of Process Different Federal Agencies with Liaisons
at NCMEC Use to Review and Forward CyberTipline Reports for
Investigation:
Agency: FBI;
Overview of CyberTipline report review: To address CyberTipline
reports and child pornography, FBI has one liaison assigned to NCMEC
who supervises two Investigative Support Specialists who review the
reports. FBI officials stated that they prioritize child pornography-
related CyberTipline reports based on, among other things, whether
they fall within their investigative purview and whether or not a
jurisdiction or subject can be determined. However, among the reports
that meet those parameters, officials said that they are not able to
further prioritize the reports until they open them and can determine
what type of information is included in the report. When FBI
Investigative Support Specialists determine that a CyberTipline report
is likely to enable the agency to initiate or advance an
investigation, they prepare an investigative packet, for which they
supplement information from the report (or numerous other reports),
with FBI data as well as data from other sources. They then submit the
packet to the FBI liaison who reviews it and forwards it to FBI field
agents for investigation.
Agency: ICE;
Overview of CyberTipline report review: According to ICE officials,
while ICE can access and review CyberTipline reports in the
CyberTipline system, most CyberTipline reports reviewed by ICE
officials are sent directly to them via e-mail from NCMEC analysts. In
addition, according to officials, ICE uses its resources to assist
NCMEC in disseminating CyberTipline referrals to foreign law
enforcement agencies. ICE has established virtual private network
connections in approximately 10 countries, allowing the dissemination
of CyberTipline referrals to the responsible law enforcement agencies
in these countries.
Agency: USPIS;
Overview of CyberTipline report review: Currently, the USPIS liaison
located at NCMEC does not review CyberTipline reports; rather up to
five field postal inspectors with subject matter expertise have access
to the CyberTipline system and review the reports. According to the
Child Pornography National Program Manager for USPIS, NCMEC also e-
mails CyberTipline reports determined by NCMEC analysts to have a
nexus to the mail directly to the USPIS liaison located at NCMEC. The
liaison then sends any CyberTipline report that has a solid U.S. mail
nexus to the field for attention. The official said that the agency
focuses on CyberTipline reports that have (1) a viable nexus to U.S.
mail, (2) a viable mailing address, and (3) cooperation of the victim
and/or the reporting party (e.g., parent or guardian). The official
added that a new liaison would be assigned to NCMEC in the spring of
2011 and that this individual would review CyberTipline reports.
Source: FBI, ICE, and USPIS.
[End of table]
The CyberTipline provides leads for federal, state, and local law
enforcement agencies, along with their own sources, such as undercover
investigations. For example, according to FBI officials, the FBI
develops approximately 100 to 200 investigative leads per year to be
used to initiate investigations based on CyberTipline reports, and a
USPIS official estimated that about 10 percent of leads come from the
CyberTipline. Officials we interviewed from seven of the eight task
forces stated that CyberTipline reports make up 50 percent or more of
their leads, and five of those seven reported receiving between 80 to
95 percent of their leads from CyberTipline reports.[Footnote 49]
Soliciting Additional Information on the Usefulness of CyberTipline
Reports Could Help NCMEC Ensure Reports Are as Useful as Possible to
Law Enforcement:
The number of CyberTipline reports NCMEC received and made available
to law enforcement agencies has increased over the past few years,
making it important that these reports are as useful as possible to
the law enforcement agencies investigating online child pornography.
According to NCMEC, the number of CyberTipline reports determined by
federal law enforcement agencies to be most often within their
investigative purview has increased by about 134 percent from about
74,000 in 2008 to about 173,000 in 2010. Similarly, the number of
CyberTipline reports that NCMEC referred to ICAC task forces increased
about 71 percent from about 14,000 in 2008 to about 24,000 in 2010.
[Footnote 50]
However, according to the FBI liaison at NCMEC and officials in six
out of eight ICAC task forces we contacted, information in individual
CyberTipline reports was not always useful for initiating law
enforcement action, such as obtaining a subpoena, initiating an
investigation, or executing a search warrant.[Footnote 51] For
example, according to these officials, reports initially submitted to
NCMEC by the ESP or the general public may:
* not contain information, such as an IP address or an image;
* contain old data provided by ESPs, which may prohibit obtaining a
subpoena;
* contain an image that did not meet the legal definition of child
pornography; or:
* include information that is not a violation of child pornography
laws in general or in a particular state.
NCMEC makes these CyberTipline reports that do not contain certain
information, such as an IP address or image, available to law
enforcement because, according to NCMEC officials, it believes that
law enforcement may be able to use other information in the report to
further other investigations. For example, according to these
officials, a CyberTipline report may have an e-mail address or
username that is associated with a known offender, and the information
in it may be useful to an ongoing law enforcement investigation.
Federal law enforcement officials from FBI, ICE, and USPIS who work
directly with NCMEC, as well as officials in five of the eight ICAC
task forces, stated that receiving such reports could be useful, for
example, to furthering other ongoing or future investigations.
NCMEC takes steps to obtain feedback on the usefulness of CyberTipline
reports made available to law enforcement. Specifically, NCMEC
solicits feedback via e-mail or in person each quarter from the
federal law enforcement liaisons at NCMEC about the usefulness of the
CyberTipline reports overall. According to NCMEC officials, the
questions they pose vary and are intended to obtain a general idea of
the usefulness of the CyberTipline reports. Officials from FBI and
USPIS who work directly with NCMEC in reviewing CyberTipline reports
confirmed that they speak to NCMEC officials on a continuous basis to
discuss the status of CyberTipline reports that they have taken action
on and their outcomes, as well as how the process of providing reports
could be improved. For ICAC task forces, NCMEC sends a feedback form
approximately 8 weeks after referring a CyberTipline report that
includes a question asking whether or not the information provided by
NCMEC's analysts in the CyberTipline report was useful.[Footnote 52]
However, NCMEC does not systematically collect information on how
useful individual reports are to initiating and advancing
investigations from law enforcement users or the extent to which
reports contain specific types of information law enforcement may
need. For example, NCMEC does not have a systematic process--a
standard set of questions applied consistently over time--for
obtaining information from federal liaisons about why individual
CyberTipline reports may or may not be useful in initiating or
advancing investigations and what the information gaps are that
limited their usefulness. Similarly, NCMEC does not ask ICAC task
forces why individual CyberTipline reports were or were not useful and
how they could be made more useful. Capturing this type of feedback
could help NCMEC work with law enforcement to determine which reports
do not assist in initiating and advancing investigations, why not,
what key information is missing, whether NCMEC could add more analysis
to supplement reports, and what steps it might take to assist ESPs in
including as much useful information as possible in future
CyberTipline reports. In addition officials in six of the eight ICAC
task forces we selected reported that such an assessment of which
elements make a CyberTipline report more useful could enhance law
enforcement's ability to use the information to further
investigations. For example, one commander noted that such an
assessment would be helpful in providing a more focused report for
investigative follow-up.
Soliciting such information about the usefulness of CyberTipline
reports is consistent with best practices, such as regularly
soliciting stakeholder input and involving stakeholders early and
throughout the decision-making process that we have previously
reported for effectively meeting stakeholder needs.[Footnote 53]
Further, we have reported that by comprehensively soliciting feedback
from all of its users, an agency can better ensure that it has a full
picture of the needs of those users and how well it is meeting those
needs, and can also make improvements that are relevant to them.
[Footnote 54] NCMEC officials acknowledged that they would like to
obtain more feedback from law enforcement agencies and could explore
more targeted ways of obtaining it. For instance, during our meetings
with NCMEC officials, these officials discussed ways to facilitate the
better collection of feedback, such as creating a systematic process
for obtaining feedback from the federal agencies; adding additional
questions geared toward understanding why an individual CyberTipline
report was or was not useful; developing an easier-to-use electronic
feedback form; or holding ongoing discussions with ICAC commanders on
how the process of collecting feedback can be improved. However, NCMEC
officials said that they did not yet have plans in place for
implementing such feedback mechanisms in part because they do not want
to overburden law enforcement agencies. Our interviews with law
enforcement agencies indicate that these agencies see benefit in
having this feedback. Taking steps to work with law enforcement to
determine effective ways to enhance its feedback processes could help
NCMEC better ensure that law enforcement receives the most useful
information to initiate and advance investigations and could also help
NCMEC provide more focused guidance to ESPs in terms of what types of
information to include in CyberTipline reports.
Existing Deconfliction Mechanisms, While Fragmented, Generally Prevent
Pursuit of the Same Suspects;
DOJ Is Starting to Develop a National System:
Deconfliction Mechanisms Vary but Generally Help to Avoid Duplication
of Effort:
In 22 of 28 interviews we conducted with cognizant supervisory special
agents from FBI, ICE, and USSS; postal inspectors; and ICAC task force
commanders in the judicial districts we visited, law enforcement
officials reported that they concurrently used various automated and
nonautomated deconfliction mechanisms to help resolve conflicts in
online child exploitation investigations and prevent pursuit of the
same suspects.[Footnote 55] Nonautomated procedures include: the use
of interpersonal relationships or contacts between investigators from
different law enforcement entities or task forces to resolve case
conflicts; deconfliction reports and services that NCMEC provides to
ICAC task forces and federal law enforcement agency personnel;
and exchanges of law enforcement information through area Project Safe
Childhood coordinators.[Footnote 56] For example, an ICE Assistant
Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) we interviewed reported that
deconfliction is often accomplished through interaction between agents
from the different agencies investigating the case. The agency with
the best evidence generally conducts the investigation, in some
instances with assistance from other law enforcement agencies.
In instances where law enforcement agencies determine through these
mechanisms that they are pursuing the same target, officials said that
an option is for one agency to discontinue its investigation and allow
another agency to pursue the target instead. The agencies involved can
compare the evidence each one has collected as well as the focus of
their investigations before determining which agency is in the best
position to proceed with the investigation. These officials also said
that deconfliction is important because there is potential for
inefficiencies and waste of investigative resources when multiple
agencies are pursuing the same target. For example, an FBI Supervisory
Special Agent cited an instance when the agency learned that a local
law enforcement agency had already made contact with a suspect a month
before the FBI served a search warrant. Not all duplication is
inefficient, however, as there are instances where multiple agencies
pursue the same target for different offenses. For example, one agency
may be investigating the target as a suspect for distribution of child
pornography and another investigating the target for sexual abuse.
Nevertheless, in 22 of 28 interviews, officials said that they are
able to resolve most case conflicts by using a combination of
nonautomated and automated deconfliction mechanisms.
Officials in 14 of the 28 interviews also reported using automated
investigative systems to identify information and track suspects
engaging in trafficking child pornography online.[Footnote 57] These
investigative systems covertly identify and monitor computer networks
where users share files directly with one another, also known as peer-
to-peer file sharing.[Footnote 58] These covert investigative systems
also provide deconfliction for investigators allowing registered users
to share case information and avoid initiating duplicate
investigations on targets already under investigation. In 12 of 28
interviews, law enforcement officials also reported avoiding pursuing
the same child pornography targets by checking information about a
suspect against external law enforcement databases, such as the
SafetyNet system in New York, and systems containing national crime
data, including the National Crime Information Center.[Footnote 59]
These databases can be used to ascertain whether a target has a
criminal history or is also under investigation by other law
enforcement entities, among other things.
However, law enforcement officials in 7 of 28 interviews, as well as
two senior DOJ officials, reported limitations with the existing
automated investigative systems and law enforcement databases that can
impact their usefulness in child pornography investigations. Among the
limitations, these officials stated that an automated system or
database does not exist that provides comprehensive case information
and deconfliction for all federal, state, and local law enforcement
agencies. Since a comprehensive deconfliction system for all law
enforcement entities is not yet available, the automated systems in
use provide investigators with partial case information because, in
general, these systems and databases are not integrated. For example,
the investigative systems do not integrate information, in part,
because the systems are developed by different organizations, and the
developers limit access to case information to registered users of
their systems in order to control who has access to investigative
information. These officials also reported that another factor that
contributes to the absence of a comprehensive national system for
deconfliction are prohibitions by federal and state agencies which
restrict access to investigative information by external law
enforcement entities. For example, according to DOJ, the FBI always
must consider case and security concerns when sharing information. In
addition, a DOJ Deputy Associate Administrator said that federal
agencies have requirements to use their own data systems, which often
allow limited or no external access to other entities. DOJ officials
also agreed that because of the partial or fragmented information, the
available automated systems may contribute to information sharing
obstacles between agencies and difficulties in coordinating actions
between investigations. These officials agreed further that this can
also impede compilation of strategic information on the most dangerous
offenders and adversely impact identifying new trends that offenders
are using online to attempt to exploit children. DOJ is beginning to
develop a national system to address some of these shortcomings, as we
discuss in the following section.
DOJ Is in the Early Stage of Developing a National System to Provide a
Deconfliction Tool:
The Act requires the Attorney General to develop a National Internet
Crimes Against Children Data System (NIDS), an online data system that
is to include information-sharing capacity, case deconfliction, and
other capabilities. According to the Act, the purpose and intent of
NIDS, among other things, is to create a deconfliction system for ICAC
task forces, as well as for federal, state, local, and tribal law
enforcement agencies that investigate and prosecute child exploitation
crimes. The planned deconfliction component is to allow authorized law
enforcement agencies to access NIDS and contribute information to
resolve conflicts in online child pornography investigations. DOJ
officials overseeing the development of NIDS reported that NIDS is
intended to address the known deconfliction limitations of existing
investigative systems, such as reporting partial or fragmented case
information, as well as the lack of data sharing among various law
enforcement entities due to system integration. The officials stated
that NIDS is also to incorporate new and emerging technologies, rather
than being based solely on existing investigative systems. Appendix
III provides a description of NIDS functions required by the Act.
The Act does not specify a time frame for NIDS implementation, but
according to senior DOJ officials, issuance of the solicitation for
the development of NIDS was delayed until spring 2010 because the
National Coordinator had not been selected, funding was not sufficient
to construct the NIDS system, and the complexity of the system made it
difficult to develop and implement. More specifically:
* DOJ issued the initial solicitation for the construction,
maintenance, and housing of NIDS in March 2009, 9 months before it
selected a National Coordinator. Once a National Coordinator was
appointed in January 2010, DOJ decided to issue a revised solicitation
to, among other things, conduct a needs assessment to collect
requirements information for the future development of NIDS. DOJ
issued this revised solicitation in June 2010. Generally accepted
information technology system development practices call for
organizations to follow a disciplined approach, including performing a
needs assessment to define system requirements prior to beginning
system acquisition activities.[Footnote 60] As described later, this
information is to serve as an assessment of technical requirements for
the construction of NIDS, and DOJ plans to use the requirements as the
basis to determine how to build NIDS.
* The National Coordinator reported that funding was not appropriated
to support development of a system as complex as NIDS. The Act
authorizes $2 million for NIDS in each of fiscal years 2009 through
2016. However, DOJ officials stated that the agency did not request
funds for NIDS in the fiscal year 2012 President's Budget because
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funding was
available beginning in 2009 and extending to the end of fiscal year
2010.[Footnote 61] DOJ is funding the NIDS needs assessment project
through an ARRA grant it awarded to the ICAC task forces, which
provided about $921,000 and was obligated in fiscal year 2010 and is
to run through fiscal year 2011. DOJ officials noted that the
department has not yet developed a projection of the cost to construct
and implement NIDS because it must first determine the technical
requirements for NIDS.
* The National Coordinator also reported significant challenges
associated with the development of NIDS. Among these challenges, the
Act requires NIDS to incorporate a method for law enforcement to
conduct covert investigations of child pornography suspects online and
provide for a case deconfliction system, as well as gather and analyze
child pornography related data, among other things. In addition, the
National Coordinator said that DOJ must ensure NIDS is accessible by
ICAC task forces, and federal, state, local, and tribal law
enforcement agencies, which presents a challenge because the systems
these entities use may not be compatible. The National Coordinator
reported that a system with the intended capacity of NIDS will be a
challenge to construct; however, DOJ officials believe it can be
accomplished and stated that an interim step in the process of
constructing it will be the development of the needs assessment to
determine NIDS requirements.
In general, the 2010 NIDS needs assessment grant solicitation is for
evaluating case deconfliction and covert investigative capabilities of
existing software and investigative tools. The solicitation is also
for determining the information reporting capabilities among federal,
state, and local law enforcement agencies to assist in identification
of offenders; identifying the shortcomings in these agencies' systems
and developing new software and investigative tools that address these
identified shortcomings; assisting law enforcement agencies in covert
investigations; and supporting research to identify and predict which
offenders are most dangerous so that DOJ can use that information to
identify high-priority suspects to timely report them to law
enforcement agencies.
In September 2010, after conducting a competitive solicitation for
proposals and an external peer review process for the NIDS proposal,
DOJ selected an existing ICAC task force agency, the Massachusetts
State Police, as the grantee.[Footnote 62] The grant recipient, along
with the Pennsylvania ICAC task force and the University of
Massachusetts Amherst, previously developed an investigative system
which is currently in use by 58 of 61 ICAC task forces
nationwide.[Footnote 63] Because of this experience, expertise
reflected in the proposal submitted, and the recommendations of the
external peer reviewers, DOJ determined this grant recipient would be
qualified to complete the needs assessment and other activities as
required by the 2010 NIDS solicitation.
In October 2010, DOJ initiated the effort to conduct a needs
assessment to identify NIDS requirements and plans to complete the
effort within 12 to 24 months. Until this initial work is done,
however, DOJ will not know precisely when NIDS is to become
operational. Therefore, the national deconfliction system the Act
requires may not be operational for a number of years. In the
meantime, however, DOJ has approved the continued use of existing
automated systems for case deconfliction purposes as a stopgap measure.
Backlogs in Forensic Analysis of Digital Evidence and Length of Time
ESPs Retain User Data Can Hinder Investigations:
Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Forensic Analysis Steps Could Help
Determine Efficiencies to Reduce Backlogs:
According to prosecutors in DOJ's CEOS, the information contained on a
suspect's hard drive is key to an investigation of online child
pornography, and the forensic analysis of suspects' computers is the
most important aspect of an investigation of this crime. Forensic
analysis of digital evidence includes the extraction and review of
information from digital media, such as computer hard drives, and can
prove possession, receipt, distribution, or production of online child
pornography.[Footnote 64] However, headquarters officials we
interviewed responsible for overseeing forensic analysis to address
child pornography crimes from FBI, CEOS, ICE, USSS, and USPIS all
reported that forensic resources available to review digital evidence
in support of investigations and prosecutions of online child
pornography crime are scarce relative to the demand for such services.
Further, they all stated that backlogs in the forensic analysis of
suspects' computers to extract and analyze evidence, such as images or
chat logs, may delay and, in some cases, hinder investigations and
prosecutions of offenders.[Footnote 65]
According to a 2007 FBI memorandum, subjects of a child pornography
investigation are usually not arrested when a suspect's computer is
seized, but after full forensic examination is completed, which,
according to DOJ officials, may take a period of 1 week to over 1 year
in some cases, depending on the level of detailed forensic analysis
requested by prosecutors or investigators, or because of the needs of
the individual case. However, ICE and FBI agents we interviewed who
investigate these crimes stated that if there is a perceived imminent
threat from the suspect, such as evidence that a child is being
abused, the suspect may be arrested immediately or forensic analysis
of the suspect's computer may be expedited to facilitate faster
arrest. FBI's 2007 memorandum also expressed a concern that delays in
charging suspects while forensic examinations take place could allow
potential abusers of children to remain free to commit additional
crimes until digital evidence had been examined, and it is determined
there is enough evidence to arrest and indict the suspect. The
memorandum went on to state that it is possible that this scenario can
lead to increased exposure of children to child predators. Similarly,
the National Academy of Sciences[Footnote 66] reported in a 2009
review of forensic practices that backlogs in any area of forensic
analysis, including analysis of digital evidence, can contribute to
the release of guilty suspects who go on to commit further crime, as
well as result in delayed investigations of those who are not yet
charged.[Footnote 67]
DOJ headquarters prosecutors stated that no comprehensive statistics
exist as to whether or to what extent suspects have continued to
engage in child pornography crime while their computers are analyzed.
However, federal law enforcement officials we interviewed who
investigate these crimes stated that suspects have, in some instances,
continued to commit crimes. For example:
* ICE officials in Kansas City stated that after being served a search
warrant, one suspect purchased a new computer and continued to engage
in the receipt of online child pornography.
* ICE Cyber Crimes Center officials stated that after one California
suspect's computer was seized, he purchased a new computer and warned
individuals with whom he had been trading child pornography images
that an investigation was taking place.
Several Factors May Contribute to Backlogs in Forensic Analysis of
Digital Evidence:
Headquarters officials from FBI, ICE, CEOS, USPIS, and USSS that we
interviewed who oversee forensic analysis all identified several
factors that may contribute to backlogs in forensic analysis. These
include the increase in the volume of people using computers and the
Internet, the low cost and ease of obtaining digital media storage
capacity, and the wide variety and constant evolution of technologies
being used by offenders. For example, FBI statistics show that the
volume of data processed at its Regional Computer Forensic
Laboratories[Footnote 68] has increased almost 3,000 percent, from
approximately 82 terabytes in fiscal year 2003 to 2,334 terabytes in
fiscal year 2009.[Footnote 69]
In addition, variations in the amount of digital evidence federal
prosecutors request to be reviewed in support of prosecutions of
online child pornography crimes may increase the amount of time needed
for forensic analysis of digital evidence and further contribute to
backlogs. For example, two senior officials from FBI's Digital
Evidence Section stated that requests by some federal prosecutors that
all digital information be reviewed for a given prosecution can
increase the amount of time needed at FBI labs for each examination,
which further contributes to backlogs at these labs. According to
these officials, hard drives and other digital media obtained during
investigations could contain hundreds of thousands of images and
movies of child pornography, and to review all of them for a single
investigation could take a forensic examiner or investigator several
months, which may not be efficient.
Alternatively, these FBI officials also stated that a strategy that
calls for more thorough reviews of digital evidence for those cases
where the suspect's characteristics indicate that the person may pose
a physical danger to children would more efficiently allocate scarce
forensic resources.[Footnote 70] This, in turn, could allow those
resources to be used to conduct forensic analysis on a greater number
of suspects, which could increase DOJ's ability to prosecute a greater
number of offenders. However, prosecutors we interviewed in DOJ
headquarters noted that thorough reviews of suspects' digital media
can be important because images and movies on that digital media may
contain evidence that a child is currently being abused by the
suspect. If not all information is reviewed, prosecutors may not be
able to prosecute the offender on all charges for which the person is
guilty, and all children who are currently being abused may not be
identified.
In addition, senior DOJ officials we interviewed stated that a
"tiered" strategy that makes more use of forensic review of a
suspect's computer in his or her residence may allow for efficiencies
in the forensic process. For example, according to FBI and ICE agents
we interviewed who investigate these crimes, reviewing a suspect's
computer within their residence allows law enforcement officers to
remove only those computers that are most likely to contain child
pornography, which can reduce the number of computers that must be
analyzed as well as make it more likely that a suspect confesses.
According to prosecutors in DOJ headquarters, increased use of on-
scene forensic review of suspects' computers may also, in some cases,
negate the need to send a suspect's computer to a forensic examiner
for review. All of these factors may, in turn, reduce backlogs in
forensic analysis. Senior DOJ officials noted that these types of case-
by-case decisions are currently being made in the field based on,
among other things, the resources available to conduct forensic
analysis within the judicial district and the priorities of the U.S.
Attorney's Office.
Another factor that FBI, CEOS, USPIS, and USSS headquarters officials
we interviewed who oversee forensic analysis all stated increases
backlogs is the steps federal law enforcement agencies take to ensure
the integrity of analysis conducted by forensic examiners, which add
to the time necessary to complete examinations. According to all of
these law enforcement officials, finding apparent child pornography or
other evidence on a suspect's digital media can be done by, among
other things, conducting key word searches or opening digital folders
on the suspect's hard drive to review individual images or movies.
Steps taken to ensure the integrity of these activities--such as
making exact copies of digital evidence on which to conduct any
analysis and taking hash values of original evidence before
examinations are conducted--are meant to provide a level of assurance
that evidence is not tampered with and that examinations can withstand
legal challenges in court.[Footnote 71] However all of these officials
stated that these steps may add several hours to several weeks to the
laboratory examinations of digital evidence, especially for large
volumes of data, and add to the time that subsequent requests for
analysis must wait in the queue, which further contributes to
backlogs. For example, making an exact copy of a suspect's hard drive
may take several days and must be completed before analysis of the
information on the hard drive takes place.[Footnote 72]
The FBI, through its Computer Analysis Response Team program, takes
additional steps to further ensure the integrity of its examination
system.[Footnote 73] These steps include:
* Requiring uniform training, certification testing, annual
proficiency testing and annual continuing education for all certified
FBI digital evidence forensic examiners.
* Documenting all examination processes, including search and review
activities undertaken by the forensic examiner, so that they can be
duplicated by another examiner, if necessary, to ensure accountability
and accuracy.
* Adhering to written forensic protocols which inform the actions of
forensic examiners and which are subject to review and audited for
compliance.
* Separating the forensic examination and investigative search
portions of the forensic review. Forensic examiners typically
authenticate and extract subsets of data, such as images or chat logs,
from seized digital media which has first been reviewed and searched
by investigators. FBI agents then conduct content analysis of these
data after examiners extract and deliver them to identify information
relevant to a specific investigation.
* Conducting peer reviews of forensic examination reports.
Officials from FBI's Digital Evidence Section stated that these
additional steps, while increasing the amount of time necessary to
conduct analysis, help to refute any potential claims that there
exists a bias on the part of the examiner that influenced the results
of a forensic examination. Specifically, the officials stated that
these measures are designed to mitigate against the risk that
untrained or unqualified forensic examiners could alter digital
evidence, which could lead to innocent individuals being sent to
prison. Further, the officials said that initiating these additional
steps ensures a degree of separation between agents--who conduct an
investigation--and examiners--whose primary function is to carry out
specific examination activities prescribed by the agents--and is a
means of ensuring that investigative bias cannot easily be introduced
in the digital forensic analysis process, particularly with respect to
forensic expert opinion analysis relating to questions of how, when,
why, and by whom data were created, modified, destroyed, or altered.
However, headquarters officials we interviewed at CEOS, ICE, and USSS
disagreed on the need for such additional steps because they believe
the additional steps are not needed to support a successful
prosecution and the steps increase the costs and time needed for
analysis to take place, thereby further increasing backlogs. All of
these officials stated that they do not routinely incorporate all of
these additional steps because they do not believe that the addition
of these extra steps would discernibly impact the overall integrity of
the forensic analysis.[Footnote 74] For example, these officials
stated that it is not necessary to separate examiners who extract
digital evidence from hard drives from law enforcement agents who
review the extracted information;
evidence of a suspect's guilt on his or her hard drive is either
present or not. These officials noted that unlike other areas of
forensic analysis, such as footprint or hair analysis where there is a
concern that bias may impact interpretations of results, there is
little opportunity for bias on the part of the forensic examiner to
affect the results of an investigation. They all added that the steps
already in place, specifically copying and taking hash values of
original evidence, ensure that any effort to alter the material on a
suspect's hard drive would be detected.
Six of the seven prosecutors we spoke with stated that they were
generally indifferent as to which federal law enforcement agency
conducted forensic examinations, and there was no discernable
difference in the quality or usefulness of forensic analysis conducted
by the different agencies. However, headquarters prosecutors we
interviewed stated that the time it takes to receive reports from
different agencies varies by district nationwide. In addition, these
officials noted that there were differences in the content and
subjectivity of the forensic reports that agencies prepared to present
examination results. For example, they opined that reports that
included detailed information about how the forensic examination was
conducted, what was found, and what it means provide prosecutors with
more useful data, and one prosecutor indicated that he preferred the
format of forensic reports used by some law enforcement agencies over
others.
While these variations exist, senior DOJ officials noted that the
government's analysis of digital evidence is repeatedly subjected to
challenges in court when the government puts on its case, and must be
determined by a judge to meet standards for admissibility. These
officials noted that CEOS computer forensic specialists conduct
forensic analysis of digital evidence in cases prosecuted across the
country and have presented the results in court frequently over the
last several years in numerous cases;
however, DOJ is unaware of such evidence being suppressed or ruled
inadmissible by any court in any case due to a lack of integrity in
the forensic analysis process. According to DOJ headquarters
prosecutors, this indicates that the forensic analysis provided by all
federal law enforcement agencies to support prosecutions of offenders
has incorporated a sufficient amount of integrity into the process.
DOJ Working Group Could Assess the Costs and Benefits of Forensic
Analysis Steps to Identify Efficiencies:
DOJ convened a working group in August 2010, coinciding with the
publication of the National Strategy, to carry out elements of the
strategy, and this working group established a Technical Assistance
Subcommittee, which is responsible for examining technological issues
related to combating child exploitation, including forensic analysis
of digital evidence. The Act requires DOJ to include in its National
Strategy a review of the backlog of forensic analysis for child
exploitation cases and plans for reducing the forensic backlogs.
[Footnote 75] In response to this requirement, the subcommittee is
examining forensic analysis of digital evidence, including efforts to
reduce backlogs.[Footnote 76] Specifically, according to the National
Coordinator, the working group is reviewing different methods used
among the federal agencies to identify practices that may reduce
backlogs, such as increased review of computers within a suspect's
residence before taking them to a laboratory for forensic examination.
However, the National Coordinator said that such a review will not
explicitly assess the costs and benefits of steps taken by federal
agencies to ensure the integrity of the forensic examination process
or the separation of the examination and investigative functions in
forensic analysis. Specifically, the working group does not currently
plan on assessing whether any enhancement of the credibility of
digital evidence resulting from steps taken by federal law enforcement
agencies to ensure the integrity of the forensic examination process
will outweigh the costs associated with performing these additional
steps, such as whether backlogs that may result from implementing
these steps will allow offenders to remain on the street for a longer
amount of time while evidence is being forensically examined.
Differences in steps for conducting forensic analysis of digital
evidence exist;
however, no federal agency or working group we spoke to has assessed
the costs and benefits of steps taken to ensure the integrity of
forensic analysis used by federal law enforcement agencies that
investigate and prosecute online child pornography crime due to an
overall satisfaction with their own individual digital forensic
examination processes to date. OMB cites assessments of costs and
benefits as key in the consideration of alternative means of achieving
program objectives by examining different program methods. OMB also
states that these assessments that serve as a basis for evaluating
government programs or policies should identify societal costs and
benefits, as well as discuss any trade-offs that may not be
quantifiable.[Footnote 77] For example, this could include examining
qualitative factors--such as delays in arrest and prosecution, which
may expose the public to offenders and concerns regarding the
integrity of forensic analysis conducted by the government, which
could impact the credibility of evidence presented in federal
prosecutions--as well as quantitative factors such as financial costs
of conducting forensic analysis of digital evidence.
According to the DOJ's National Coordinator, the Working Group and its
Technical Assistance Subcommittee are in a good position to address
backlog issues due to its multiagency membership.[Footnote 78] As the
Working Group and its Technical Assistance Subcommittee review
different methods of reducing backlogs, assessing the costs and
benefits of steps taken to ensure the integrity of forensic analysis,
including impacts on timeliness of analysis, could help it to
determine potential efficiencies while providing a level of assurance
that evidence is presented consistently and is of high quality. This
assessment could involve reviewing steps, such as creating copies of
digital evidence and separating examination and investigation
functions, and determining whether, and to what extent, these steps
enhance the credibility of forensic review and do not create undue
backlogs. Such an assessment could further provide assurance to law
enforcement agencies that conduct forensic analysis of digital
evidence that scarce forensic resources are being allocated in a way
that maximizes their efficiency and effectiveness.
ESP Data Retention Is a Concern, but Officials We Interviewed Were
Generally Able to Obtain Data from ESPs or through Other Means:
According to CEOS, FBI, ICE, and USSS headquarters officials, data
from ESPs, such as IP addresses, can be traced back to offenders, and
this information is often key to investigations of online child
pornography crime. In June 2010, the Online Safety and Technology
Working Group (OSTWG) reported that data retention--the period of time
ESPs retain data entered or transmitted by users to their networks--is
a very contentious issue with competing needs and concerns from law
enforcement, the Internet industry, and consumer privacy advocates.
[Footnote 79] Currently, unlike data included in reports to NCMEC,
ESPs are generally not required to retain user data not reported to
NCMEC that could provide investigators evidence for any specified
amount of time.[Footnote 80] According to OSTWG's report, the
perspective of law enforcement is that mandatory data retention
sufficient to facilitate investigations of online crimes would allow
law enforcement to solve more crimes involving the sexual exploitation
of children because more information from ESPs would be available to
support investigations. Similarly, in January 2011, a Deputy Assistant
Attorney General within DOJ testified that data retention is
fundamental to the department's work in investigating and prosecuting
almost every type of crime. He stated, for example, that in one case,
investigators sent legal process--such as a subpoena, court order, or
search warrant--to ESPs seeking to identify distributors of child
pornography based on IP addresses that were 6 months old or less. Of
the 172 requests, they received 33 responses (about 19 percent) noting
that the requested information was no longer retained by the company
because it was out of their data retention period.[Footnote 81]
Alternatively, the OSTWG report stated that the industry perspective
is that, while the cost of data storage has fallen over the years, the
true cost of data retention comes from having to protect increasing
amounts of users' private data from online criminals who may try to
access this information to commit crimes, such as identity theft.
Similarly, Internet and consumer privacy advocates testified about
concerns with mandatory data retention. For example, in January 2011,
the executive director of the U.S. Internet Service Provider
Association testified before Congress that a data retention mandate
would bring with it a complex regulatory framework that would impose
new and unforeseen costs, legal risks, and burdens to the Internet
industry.[Footnote 82] Also in January 2011, an official from the
Center for Democracy and Technology testified that mandatory data
retention requirements would aggravate the problem of identity theft
and damage competition and innovation in the Internet industry.
[Footnote 83]
However, headquarters law enforcement officials we spoke with from
FBI, CEOS, and ICE, as well as officials from eight of the ICAC task
forces, all stated that current ESP data retention periods may be
insufficient to facilitate investigations and prosecutions of online
child pornography crime.[Footnote 84] Specifically, all of these
officials stated that data--such as IP addresses and any corresponding
user information which an address may help identify (i.e., name,
credit card, and bank account number)--allow law enforcement to
identify who possessed, distributed, and manufactured images of child
pornography. For example, according to ICE Cyber Crimes Center
officials we spoke with, if an offender subscribes to a Web site that
sells child pornography, the IP address of the computer associated
with that suspect and transaction can be traced back to an individual
offender. According to these officials, a law enforcement agency can
subpoena an ESP for identifying information, such as name and address,
for the individual who had that IP address at the time that the
transaction took place.[Footnote 85] However, in some instances, there
is a gap in the amount of time between when a child pornography
offense occurs and when it is detected by law enforcement. If the ESP
does not maintain information on which of its users was associated
with a particular IP address, law enforcement will likely not be able
to obtain this information, in which case an investigation may not be
able to proceed.
Officials from 17 of the 19 ESPs we spoke with stated that in general
their data retention policies were based on business considerations,
such as the types of services provided.[Footnote 86] For example,
officials from 4 ESPs that offered paid services, such as Internet
connectivity, stated that they keep billing information, such as
address or payment history, indefinitely, while officials from 3 ESPs
that operate social networking sites stated that they keep user data
until the user cancels his or her account. We discussed the extent to
which they were able to obtain information from ESPs they contacted
with officials from the eight ICAC task forces we selected. Officials
from six of the eight said they were able to obtain information from
ESPs that enabled them to further their investigations about 80
percent of the time or more.[Footnote 87] In addition, officials from
these six task forces stated that when they were not able to obtain
information from an ESP, they were generally able to obtain relevant
information--such as IP addresses or image data--through other means,
such as by interviewing suspects at their residences or reviewing
information on their computers.
According to the OSTWG report, there is not a consensus on whether any
data retention mandates should be imposed on ESPs. Such mandates would
require legislative action. The report concluded that data retention
is about striking a balance among (1) law enforcement's legitimate
need to investigate and prosecute crimes against children carried out
or facilitated by the Internet; (2) end users' legitimate privacy
expectations; and (3) ESPs' cost of data retention, costs which
ultimately get passed onto consumers.
Conclusions:
With dramatic increases in the numbers of online child pornography
offenders and new technologies and tools that these offenders can use
to produce and distribute child pornography, Congress passed the
PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 and DOJ and NCMEC are responding to
the provisions of the Act. However, DOJ has not implemented three
provisions--that address studying the potential danger posed by child
pornography offenders, designating foreign law enforcement agencies
that can receive reports from NCMEC's CyberTipline, and developing a
report on DOJ's information-sharing structure--and has not yet
established specific plans or time frames for doing so. Developing
steps and time frames for fulfilling these three provisions, as
required, may also help better ensure that law enforcement resources
are more optimally focused on dangerous offenders as well as help
ensure that investigative information is disseminated on a timelier
basis. Also since passage of the Act, NCMEC has developed guidance for
ESPs to help them in reporting tips and has played a key role in
coordinating law enforcement efforts through the operation of its
CyberTipline. However NCMEC could take steps to enhance the feedback
it receives from law enforcement on the usefulness of CyberTipline
reports. Doing so could help NCMEC ensure that these reports
consistently contain as much information as possible to help law
enforcement take actions, such as advancing investigations, which is
critical given the increase in the number of CyberTipline reports.
Finally, key to every investigation and prosecution of online child
pornography crime is forensic analysis of digital evidence. Among the
factors that federal law enforcement officials cited as limiting
investigations and prosecutions were variations in the steps that
agencies believe enhance integrity of forensic analysis of digital
evidence. In some cases, these steps may increase the time it takes to
analyze evidence and add to backlogs and delays. DOJ's working group
examining forensic issues, due to its multiagency composition, is in a
position to assess the costs and benefits of steps taken by different
agencies to ensure the integrity of forensic processes. Such an
assessment could help identify possible efficiencies in these steps
and provide assurance to law enforcement agencies that conduct
forensic analysis of digital evidence that scarce forensic resources
are being allocated in a way that maximizes their efficiency and
effectiveness.
Recommendations:
To help ensure that DOJ fulfills its obligations as outlined in the
PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 as well as enhance its ability to
address online crimes against children, we recommend that the Attorney
General define the steps it plans to take and time frames for
completing the three provisions of the Act that it has not yet
implemented.
To help ensure that NCMEC maximizes the feedback it receives from law
enforcement agencies about the usefulness of CyberTipline reports in
initiating and advancing investigations, we recommend that NCMEC's
Chief Executive Officer work with its law enforcement customers to
enhance its processes to collect feedback from law enforcement about
the usefulness and quality of individual CyberTipline reports and use
this information to make any necessary improvements it identifies.
To help address backlogs in forensic analysis of digital evidence
conducted in support of investigations and prosecutions of online
child pornography crime, we recommend that the Attorney General direct
the National Strategy Working Group and its Technical Assistance
Subcommittee to assess the costs and benefits of the various steps
federal law enforcement agencies believe enhance the integrity of
forensic analysis of digital evidence in investigating online child
pornography crimes, which may be quantitative or qualitative, to
identify any efficiencies in the processes agencies use to help them
to make more informed decisions on the efficient allocation of limited
forensic resources.
Agency Comments, Third Party Views, and Our Evaluation:
We provided a draft of this report to DOJ, NCMEC, DHS, and USPIS for
review and comment. DOJ and NCMEC provided written comments, which are
reprinted in appendix IV and V and evaluated below. In commenting on
our draft report, DOJ stated that it generally concurred with our
recommendations and discussed actions it had taken or plans to take,
which address in part, our recommendations.
DOJ concurred with our first recommendation to define the steps it
plans to take and time frames for completing three provisions of the
Act and outlined efforts to address the provisions. For example, in
terms of the requirement for NIJ to prepare a report to identify the
factors indicating whether the subject of an online investigation
poses a high-risk of harm to children, DOJ noted that the grantee
selected to develop NIDS would, as part of this effort, provide a
paper addressing the dangers posed by child pornography offenders and
recommending further research paths. Documentation provided by DOJ
indicated that the grantee, as part of the development of the NIDS
system would, among other things, conduct a literature review about
the links between child pornography and hands-on molestation and
develop a research design to address gaps in assessing dangers from
child pornography offenders. While these activities are important
steps to providing law enforcement with additional information on
potential dangers posed by offenders, it will be important for DOJ to
ensure that the grantee's efforts or follow-on research comply with
statutory requirements--that DOJ identify factors that indicate
whether the subject of an online investigation poses a high-risk of
harm to children as well as to coordinate with federal law enforcement
agencies, NCMEC, and other stakeholders, as required by the Act.
Similarly, to address the provision of the Act requiring a report to
congressional committees related to information sharing structures,
DOJ noted that it has secured a grantee to provide a design for an
information sharing system, and when the system is closer to fruition,
DOJ plans to report to Congress on its progress. While these are
important steps, we maintain that it will also be important for DOJ to
commit to plans and timeframes to hold itself accountable for
fulfilling these provisions of the Act.
DOJ concurred with our recommendation to assess the costs and benefits
of steps taken by federal law enforcement agencies that they believe
enhance the integrity of the forensic analysis of digital evidence,
with one modification. In discussions with DOJ's National Coordinator
as well as senior FBI officials responsible for overseeing forensic
analysis of digital evidence on this recommendation, officials
indicated that they had concerns regarding the proposed recommendation
to assess costs and benefits of the processes various federal law
enforcement agencies undertake that are believed to enhance the
integrity of the forensic analysis of digital evidence. For example,
these officials noted that certain costs associated with potential
backlogs in forensic analysis, such as the public's increased exposure
to offenders, would be very difficult to quantify. We explained that
we did not intend for DOJ to conduct this level of cost-benefit
analysis and develop such quantifiable dollar estimates, but rather
intended for DOJ to qualitatively assess, for example, whether the
costs, such as increasing backlogs in forensic analysis, are
outweighed by the perceived benefits of the extra steps agencies take
to enhance the integrity of the forensic analysis process for this
particular crime. Thus, we modified our recommendation to clarify this
point.
Related to this recommendation, in its comments, DOJ described two
working groups currently addressing forensic issues--the Technical
Assistance Subcommittee, which has been studying the timeliness and
usefulness of forensic examinations and has recommendations under
agency review, and the Office of the Deputy Attorney General's
Computer Forensics Working Group, which is also examining current
digital forensic processes. DOJ noted that these groups plan to take
into account the resources associated with various steps DOJ law
enforcement takes in conducting digital forensic analysis as part of
their examinations. DOJ also noted that it hopes to be able to provide
an update to Congress on its progress on digital forensic analysis by
about September 2011. We maintain that these groups and their efforts
could be the appropriate vehicle to use to conduct the assessment of
costs and benefits called for in our recommendation. Doing so could
help identify possible efficiencies in agencies' digital forensic
analysis processes, ensure scarce forensic resources are allocated to
maximize their efficiency and effectiveness, and ultimately, help
better address online child sexual exploitation.
NCMEC, in its comments, also concurred with our recommendation to
enhance its processes to collect feedback from law enforcement
agencies about the usefulness of CyberTipline reports. NCMEC stated
that it would further its efforts to solicit better feedback from law
enforcement on the usefulness of these reports. In addition, NCMEC
agreed that better understanding how information ESPs provide may
determine whether a law enforcement agency can begin an investigation
would be helpful. DOJ also noted in its comments that efforts to
improve the CyberTipline process are underway, and the department
plans to work with NCMEC to report to Congress on these improvements
by about September 2011.
Finally, DOJ also provided us with technical comments, which we
incorporated into the report, as appropriate. DHS did not provide
comments on our report. In an email dated March 16, 2011, the USPIS
Acting Assistant Inspector in Charge for child exploitation
investigations concurred with the information in the report and
provided technical comments, which we incorporated into the report, as
appropriate.
We are sending copies of this report to the Secretary of Homeland
Security, the Attorney General, the Executive Director of NCMEC, and
other interested congressional committees and subcommittees. In
addition, this report will be available at no charge on GAO's Web site
at [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. If you or your staff have any
questions concerning this report or wish to discuss the matter
further, please contact me at (202) 512-8777, or larencee@gao.gov.
Contact points for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public
Affairs may be found on the last page of this report. Key contributors
to this report are listed in appendix VI.
Signed by:
Eileen Regen Larence:
Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues:
[End of section]
Appendix I: Key Federal Agencies Involved in Combating Online Child
Pornography:
Appendix I provides information about the mission, role, level of
resources, and trends in investigations or cases initiated for key
federal agencies involved in combating online child pornography.
Department of Justice:
Federal Bureau of Investigation:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigates various crimes
against children, including online child pornography. For example, FBI
investigates violations of federal statutes generally relating to:
* producing child pornography;
* permitting a minor within one's custody or control to be used in
child pornography;
* selling or buying children for use in child pornography;
and:
* transporting, shipping, receiving, or distributing child pornography
by any means, including by computer.
As shown in tables 3 and 4, the amount of personnel and fiscal
resources the FBI has allocated to combating child exploitation crime,
including child pornography, increased from fiscal year 2006 through
fiscal year 2010.[Footnote 88]
Table 3: FBI Personnel Dedicated to Combating Child Exploitation:
Number of personnel.
FY 2006:
Number of personnel: 267;
FY 2007:
Number of personnel: 283;
FY 2008:
Number of personnel: 315;
FY 2009:
Number of personnel: 318;
FY 2010:
Number of personnel: 313.
Source: FBI.
Note: Represents agents from FBI's Crimes against Children and
Innocent Images National Initiative units.
[End of table]
Table 4: FBI Resources Obligated for Combating Child Exploitation:
FY 2006: $45.5 million;
FY 2007: $47.4 million;
FY 2008: $54.4 million;
FY 2009: $62.7 million;
FY 2010: $62.9 million.
Source: FBI.
Note: Represents funds obligated by FBI's Innocent Images National
Initiative unit.
[End of table]
Innocent Images National Initiative:
The FBI established a nationwide initiative to combat the
proliferation of online child sexual exploitation. The Innocent Images
National Initiative (Innocent Images), a component of the FBI's Cyber
Division, is a proactive, investigative initiative whose mission is to
combat the proliferation of child pornography facilitated by computer.
This initiative is composed of agents working at regional offices
nationwide and may involve agents from any of the FBI's 56 field
offices. Innocent Images provides centralized coordination and
analysis of case information that is national and international in
scope and requires coordination with state, local, and international
governments as well as among FBI field offices and legal attaches. Its
mission is to:
* identify, investigate, and prosecute sexual predators who use the
Internet and online services to sexually exploit children;
* establish a law enforcement presence on the Internet as a deterrent
to subjects that use the Internet to exploit children;
and:
* identify and rescue witting and unwitting child victims.
As shown in table 5, FBI child pornography investigations and arrests
have increased from fiscal years 2006 through 2010.
Table 5: Number of FBI Child Pornography Investigations and Arrests:
Number: Investigations;
Fiscal year: 2006: 4,467;
Fiscal year: 2007: 4,952;
Fiscal year: 2008: 5,667;
Fiscal year: 2009: 6,062;
Fiscal year: 2010: 6,070.
Number: Arrests;
Fiscal year: 2006: 936;
Fiscal year: 2007: 1,115;
Fiscal year: 2008: 1,144;
Fiscal year: 2009: 1,077;
Fiscal year: 2010: 1,094.
Source: FBI.
[End of table]
Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section:
The Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) is a unit within
the Department of Justice's (DOJ) Criminal Division that specializes
in the prosecution of federal child sexual exploitation offenses.
Among other things, CEOS is primarily responsible for the development
of prosecution, policy, and legislative initiatives in those areas.
CEOS's professional staff consists of attorneys and computer forensics
specialists in CEOS's High Technology Investigative Unit dedicated to
combating the sexual exploitation of children and obscenity.
Established in 1987, CEOS focuses on individuals who, in the context
of child exploitation:
* possess, manufacture, produce, or traffic in child pornography;
* travel interstate or internationally to sexually abuse children, or
cause children to travel interstate or internationally for that same
purpose;
* use the Internet to lure children to engage in prohibited sexual
conduct;
* abuse children on federal and Indian lands;
or:
* engage in domestic child sex trafficking.
CEOS attorneys work closely with federal law enforcement agencies and
prosecutors on investigations, trials, and appeals. As shown in tables
6 and 7, the amount of fiscal resources at CEOS dedicated to combating
child exploitation, including resources available to assist with and
prosecute child pornography and obscenity related cases, grew from
fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 2010, while CEOS's personnel
resources fell over that same period.
Table 6: CEOS Personnel Dedicated for Combating Child Exploitation and
Obscenity Offenses:
FY 2006:
Number of personnel: 36;
FY 2007:
Number of personnel: 32;
FY 2008:
Number of personnel: 32;
FY 2009:
Number of personnel: 32;
FY 2010:
Number of personnel: 32.
Source: DOJ's Criminal Division.
[End of table]
Table 7: CEOS Funds Obligated for Combating Federal Child Exploitation
and Obscenity Offenses:
FY 2006: $4.4 million;
FY 2007: $4.8 million;
FY 2008: $5.3 million;
FY 2009: $5.9 million;
FY 2010: $5.9 million.
Source: DOJ's Criminal Division.
[End of table]
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: Internet Crimes
Against Children Program:
Created by DOJ in 1998, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)
program, administered and funded through the Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), encourages communities
nationwide to develop regional, multijurisdictional, and multiagency
responses to Internet crimes against children. The program provides
grants to state and local law enforcement agencies to build regional
task forces that address and combat Internet-related crimes against
children. ICAC program grants can be used to ensure that investigators
receive specialized training and technological resources to combat
Internet-related crimes. Additionally, ICAC task forces have been
established to serve as sources of prevention, education, and forensic
investigative assistance to those who work to address Internet crimes
against children. ICAC's objectives include:
* developing or expanding multiagency, multijurisdictional task forces
that include representatives from law enforcement, prosecution, victim
services, and child protective services, among others;
* ensuring investigative capacity by properly equipping and training
ICAC task force investigators;
* developing and maintaining case management systems to document
reported offenses and investigative results; and:
* developing response protocols or memorandums of understanding to
foster collaboration, information sharing, and service integration
among public and private organizations to protect children from being
sexually exploited.
A number of federal agencies are also involved in the ICAC Task Force
Program through membership on various task force units and through
participation on the ICAC Task Force Board. These partners include
DOJ's CEOS, FBI, the Executive Office for United States Attorneys,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the United States
Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
As shown in table 8, the number of ICAC task force child exploitation
investigations and arrests increased from fiscal year 2006 through
2010.
Table 8: Number of ICAC Task Force Child Exploitation Cases
Investigated and Arrests:
Number: Cases investigated;
Fiscal year: 2006: 10,800;
Fiscal year: 2007: 14,700;
Fiscal year: 2008: 21,700;
Fiscal year: 2009: 22,700;
Fiscal year: 2010: 32,300.
Number: Arrests;
Fiscal year: 2006: 2,100;
Fiscal year: 2007: 2,500;
Fiscal year: 2008: 3,100;
Fiscal year: 2009: 4,500;
Fiscal year: 2010: 5,300.
Source: OJJDP.
Note: Prior to the enactment of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008,
OJJDP did not require ICAC task forces to track investigations data.
The agency provided estimates for investigations totals for fiscal
years 2006 through 2008, based on multiple variables including arrests
and closed investigations among other factors.
[End of table]
Department of Homeland Security:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement:
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was one of the first
federal law enforcement agencies to combat the sexual exploitation of
children. Beginning in the 1970s, ICE, under the legacy U.S. Customs
Service, used its unique customs and border authority to investigate
individuals and groups that were introducing child pornography into
the United States. Since 2003, ICE has continued this effort through
enforcement of trans-border violations of federal child exploitation
statutes, including those related to child pornography. The agency
becomes involved in cases with foreign links, primarily focusing on
child pornography that enters the United States from abroad. In
addition, ICE investigates, interdicts, and prosecutes those
individuals involved in, among other things:
* possession, receipt, distribution, advertisement, transportation,
and production of child pornography;
* trafficking of children for sexual purposes; and:
* traveling in foreign commerce to engage in sexually explicit conduct
with minors (also known as sex tourism).
ICE's Office of Investigations established the Cyber Crimes Center to
more effectively focus ICE resources on Internet crimes. The center
brings together all ICE resources dedicated to the investigation of
international criminal activity conducted on or facilitated by the
Internet, including the sharing and distribution of child pornography.
The center also trains personnel and upgrades their techniques to
combat the diverse ways in which offenders download, possess, and
distribute child pornography. The center acts as a clearinghouse and
directs investigations to applicable areas within the United States
and foreign countries. Through the Cyber Crimes Center, ICE addresses
smuggling over "traditional" borders as well as smuggling associated
with the Internet.
As shown in tables 9 and 10, the amount of personnel and fiscal
resources the ICE has allocated to combating child exploitation crime,
including child pornography, increased from fiscal year 2006 through
fiscal year 2010.
Table 9: ICE Personnel Dedicated for Combating Child Exploitation:
Number of personnel.
FY 2006:
Number of personnel: 208.7;
FY 2007:
Number of personnel: 211.8;
FY 2008:
Number of personnel: 228.3;
FY 2009:
Number of personnel: 227;
FY 2010:
Number of personnel: 239.3.
Source: ICE.
Note: Represents agent data manually derived from ICE field offices
through September 30, 2010.
[End of table]
Table 10: ICE Resources Obligated for Combating Child Exploitation:
FY 2006: $0.531 million;
FY 2007: $1.32 million;
FY 2008: $0.916 million;
FY 2009: $0.724 million;
FY 2010: $0.951 million.
Source: ICE.
Note: Represents manually derived estimates of funds obligated by ICE
field offices through September 30, 2010.
[End of table]
As shown in table 11, the number of ICE child pornography cases
initiated has decreased, while arrests have increased from fiscal
years 2006 through 2010.
Table 11: Number of Child Pornography Cases Initiated and Arrests by
ICE Agents:
Number: Cases initiated;
Fiscal year: 2006: 3,291;
Fiscal year: 2007: 3,191;
Fiscal year: 2008: 2,898;
Fiscal year: 2009: 2,894;
Fiscal year: 2010: 2,622.
Number: Arrests;
Fiscal year: 2006: 681;
Fiscal year: 2007: 948;
Fiscal year: 2008: 863;
Fiscal year: 2009: 957;
Fiscal year: 2010: 931.
Source: ICE.
[End of table]
United States Secret Service:
The United States Secret Service (USSS) provides forensic and
technical assistance in matters involving missing and sexually
exploited children through its Office of Investigations. The USSS'
Forensic Investigative Response and Support Team consists of a group
of technical and forensic experts, including agents from the
Electronic Crimes Special Agent Program, who are available to respond
to requests from any law enforcement agency within the United States
to perform forensic and technical examinations. Section 105 of the USA
Patriot Act requires USSS to develop a national network of electronic
crime task forces to combat various forms of electronic crimes.
[Footnote 89] In response to this requirement, USSS has established 31
regional Electronic Crimes Task Forces worldwide. The regional task
forces work directly with other federal, state, and local law
enforcement agencies in the area of child pornography as well as other
electronic crimes.
According to USSS headquarters officials, online child pornography
crime is not a core violation for the agency. Therefore, it has
pursued fewer investigations involving this crime than other crimes,
such as counterfeiting, and does not track funding or personnel
dedicated to this crime. These officials added, however, that some
USSS field offices with a background in these areas as well as digital
forensic capabilities investigate these crimes. As shown in table 12,
while the number of investigations has varied over time, the number of
arrests related to child pornography has increased.
Table 12: Number of USSS Investigations and Arrests Related to Child
Pornography:
Investigations:
Fiscal year: 302;
Fiscal year: 487;
Fiscal year: 138;
Fiscal year: 98;
Fiscal year: 188.
Arrests:
Fiscal year: 88;
Fiscal year: 94;
Fiscal year: 80;
Fiscal year: 88;
Fiscal year: 149.
Source: USSS.
[End of table]
United States Postal Service:
United States Postal Inspection Service:
The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is the federal law
enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service that is
responsible for investigating crimes involving the U.S. mail,
including child pornography and child sexual exploitation offenses.
Postal Inspectors, specially trained to conduct child exploitation
investigations, are assigned to each of its 18 field divisions
nationwide. The use of mail to traffic in child pornography, or to
sexually exploit children, continues to be a significant societal
problem, according to Postal officials. They added that the exchange
of child pornography by mail is now often preceded by use of the
Internet to communicate with like-minded individuals or to locate
sources of child pornography.
The objective of the child exploitation program is to reduce and deter
the use of the postal system for the procurement or delivery of
materials that promote the sexual exploitation of children and to
uphold customer confidence. In carrying out its mission, USPIS works
with DOJ, FBI, ICE, and other national and international law
enforcement agencies.
As shown in table 13, the number of full-time Postal Inspectors
dedicated to combating child exploitation has decreased overall;
however, the number of inspectors addressing these crimes on a part-
time basis has increased.
Table 13: Full Time and Part Time Postal Inspectors Assigned to Child
Exploitation Investigations:
Number of postal inspectors: Full time;
FY 2006: 37;
FY 2007: 37;
FY 2008: 38;
FY 2009: 36;
FY 2010: 26.
Number of postal inspectors: Part time;
FY 2006: 0;
FY 2007: 0;
FY 2008: 10;
FY 2009: 14;
FY 2010: 19.
Source: USPIS.
[End of table]
According to USPIS, as a result of its transformation and
reorganization during the past 2 years, it assigned fewer full-time
Postal Inspectors to investigate child exploitation in a proactive
manner, yet increased the assignment of part-time Postal Inspectors to
ensure any lead referred to the division is addressed. As shown in
table 14, the number of investigations related to child exploitation
and child pornography has decreased. According to USPIS, Postal
Inspectors are now focused on high-quality U.S. mail-related
investigations involving the sexual exploitation of children, and
investigations not involving the U.S. mail (e.g., those that are
Internet-related) are now being worked at a significant rate by
partners, such as the ICAC task forces.
Table 14: Postal Inspection Service Investigations and Arrests Related
to Child Exploitation and Child Pornography:
Number: Investigations;
Fiscal year: 2006: 267;
Fiscal year: 2007: 264;
Fiscal year: 2008: 310;
Fiscal year: 2009: 233;
Fiscal year: 2010: 141.
Number: Arrests;
Fiscal year: 2006: 252;
Fiscal year: 2007: 155;
Fiscal year: 2008: 165;
Fiscal year: 2009: 186;
Fiscal year: 2010: 115.
Source: USPIS.
[End of table]
[End of section]
Appendix II: Status of Efforts of DOJ and NCMEC's CyberTipline to
Implement Provisions of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008:
Table 15 presents information on the actions taken by DOJ and NCMEC to
implement their responsibilities under the Providing Resources,
Officers, and Technology To Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children
Act of 2008 (PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, or the Act).[Footnote
90]
Table 15: Status of Efforts of the Attorney General and NCMEC's
CyberTipline to Implement Their Responsibilities under the PROTECT Our
Children Act of 2008:
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General;
Provision: § 101(a) - (c); 42 U.S.C. § 17611(a) - (c);
Responsibility: National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention
and Interdiction: Due 1 year after the date of enactment, and every
second year thereafter. The statute requires that the Strategy contain
19 elements, including goals and measurable objectives, a review of
DOJ's work, plans for interagency coordination--with ICE and the
Departments of State, Commerce and Education, among others--a review
of the ICAC Task Force Program, a review of and plans for reducing
forensic backlogs, and a review of all available statistical data on
child pornography trafficking, among other elements;
Status of effort: In August 2010, DOJ released its National Strategy
for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction (National
Strategy). This document contained elements specified for inclusion by
the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, including a review of DOJ work
related to the prevention and investigation of child exploitation
crime, a review of the ICAC Task Force program, a review of the
backlog of forensic analysis for child exploitation cases, and plans
for reducing the forensic backlog. In terms of plans for updating the
National Strategy, DOJ officials stated that they are currently
working on implementation of the National Strategy, which was
submitted in August. As they move forward with implementation, they
said that they plan to decide whether the goals and priorities need to
be updated. In addition, they are updating the National Strategy with
information from each agency and component. The officials stated that
DOJ plans to submit the National Strategy to Congress by April 1, 2011.
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General;
Provision: § 101(d); 42 U.S.C. § 17611(d);
Responsibility: Designation of Senior Official: The Attorney General
must designate a DOJ senior official to be responsible for the
strategy, who must act as a liaison with other federal entities,
ensure proper coordination, be knowledgeable about relevant DOJ budget
priorities and efforts, and be available to Congress;
Status of effort: DOJ designated a Senior Official responsible for
development of the National Strategy on January 13, 2010. To
facilitate the role as a liaison with other federal entities, the
National Coordinator has called together a multiagency National
Strategy Working Group to work on implementing the National Strategy.
This working group includes participants from DHS, the Department of
State, the Department of Defense, USPIS, the Department of Commerce,
the Department of Education, Commanders from four ICAC Task Forces, as
well as various components of DOJ, including FBI, CEOS, the OJJDP, and
U.S. Attorneys' Offices. There are six subcommittees under the Working
Group that are responsible for implementing various components of the
National Strategy. They are subcommittees on Technical Assistance,
Global Outreach, Community Outreach, Research and Grant Planning,
Training, and Law Enforcement Collaboration.
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General;
Provision: §§ 102-04; 42 U.S.C. §§ 17612-14;
Responsibility: ICAC Task Force Program: Establishes in law the ICAC
Task Force Program, under the authority of the Attorney General, which
is a national program of state and local law enforcement task forces
dedicated to developing responses to online enticement of children by
sexual predators, child exploitation, and child obscenity and
pornography cases. The statute requires that there be at least one
task force per state and that the Attorney General consult with and
consider the 59 task forces in existence at time of enactment in
establishing the program. Requires the Attorney General to conduct
periodic review of the effectiveness of each task force and authorizes
the Attorney General to establish new task forces, subject to certain
conditions. Grants authority to the Attorney General to conduct
training; requires periodic review of the effectiveness of training;
limits training awards to any one entity to $2 million annually.
Includes 9 specified purposes of the task forces and 11 required
functions and duties, 1 of which includes working toward achieving the
purposes;
Status of effort: There is currently at least one ICAC per state.
Since the passage of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, 2 new ICAC
task forces have been formed, 1 in Houston and 1 in New York City--for
a total of 61 ICAC task forces. According to DOJ officials, in
general, solicitations for grants for new ICAC task forces were
announced approximately 6 months before grant recipients were
selected. Approximately 10 days before local entities in the Houston
and New York areas were notified that their grant proposals were
accepted, Congress was notified of the grant selections. According to
DOJ officials, assessments of ICAC performance are done on a monthly
and quarterly basis. The information collected includes data on number
of arrests and investigations, community education programs, and other
factors. According to DOJ officials, DOJ was already collecting from
the ICAC task forces and reviewing many data points required by the
PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008. A DOJ official stated that the Act
included a new requirement that DOJ collect information on the number
of investigations conducted. This new data point was incorporated into
ICAC program management in 2009-2010. DOJ noted that the ICAC task
forces are now required to submit data on these new data points, and
program managers review the data submitted. DOJ provides spreadsheets
to ICAC task forces listing these and other required data points that
are then submitted to OJJDP. In March 2010, DOJ's Office of Audit,
Assessment, and Management reviewed the ICAC Technical and Training
Assistance program and found that, based on student evaluations and
observations, the overall quality of training provided was of high
quality and well-received. However, the IG noted concerns with the
management of OJJDP's training program. Specifically, the IG reported
that OJJDP performance measures for the effectiveness of the training
program were output based and did not measure the long-term
effectiveness of the training program. To conduct periodic
assessments, according to DOJ officials, OJJDP collects posttraining
reviews on training programs conducted under the ICAC training
program. Officials said that OJJDP conveyed the requirement to
training grant recipients in 2009 and 2010 that they must provide
immediate and long-term reviews of training efficacy. These assessment
efforts are paid for with existing DOJ funding. OJJDP also reviews
semiannual progress reports and deliverables produced under every ICAC
training program grant. DOJ officials stated that even though the Act
authorized up to $60 million per year to enact the various provisions
of the Act that affect the ICAC Task Force program, funds have not
been appropriated under this section of the Act. Funds have been
appropriated for ICACs under other authority--such as the Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) (see, e.g., Conference
Report accompanying Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, H.R. Rep.
No. 111-366 at 678 (2009) (directing a specific amount of funds
appropriated under sections 404(b) and 405(a) of the JJDPA be made
available for the ICAC program)). According to DOJ officials, where
OJJDP was able to incorporate Act requirements within current funding
levels it has done so (e.g., enhancing data collection).
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General;
Provision: § 106(a) - (c); 42 U.S.C. § 17616(a) - (c);
Responsibility: ICAC Grant Program: Authorizes the Attorney General to
award grants to ICAC task forces, pursuant to statutory factors and
criteria. In order to receive funds, task forces must submit
applications, describing uses of funds; funds may only be used for
specified allowable uses;
Status of effort: The ICAC Task Force Program received a total of $50
million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L. No.
111-5, grant funding, which was distributed pursuant to the formula
requirements of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008. According to DOJ
officials, DOJ will use this formula to allocate future appropriations
made for the ICAC program and specifically did so in fiscal year 2009
for the 59 ICACs. While the Act did not specify an exact formula for
allocating grant monies, it dictated certain considerations that were
to be accounted for in allocating funds, for example, the population
in each state and number of successful Internet crimes against
children prosecutions, among others. Where data were available, OJJDP
incorporated these considerations from the Act into its formula for
making ICAC funding allocations. However, DOJ officials noted that
ICAC funds were not appropriated under this section of the Act, but
under other authority. OJJDP awarded $18,997,913 in grant funding to
ICAC task forces in fiscal year 2010. ICAC task forces submit annual
applications in response to OJJDP's continuation funding solicitation
describing activities to be undertaken with grant funding. According
to DOJ officials, these applications are reviewed by OJJDP program
management teams who examine the applications based on financial and
programmatic considerations and compare the goals and objectives
stated in the application with the requirements outlined in the
solicitation. For example, OJJDP officials would review an application
to assess the extent to which the ICAC task force would establish a
multijurisdictional and multiagency infrastructure to address child
exploitation crime.
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General;
Provision: § 106(d); 42 U.S.C. § 17616(d);
Responsibility: ICAC Program Reporting Requirements: (1) Task forces
must submit annual reports to the Attorney General, addressing
specific information, such as the number of referrals made by the task
force to the U.S. Attorneys office and the number of investigative
technical assistance sessions the task force provided, among others.
(2) The Attorney General must submit a report to Congress not later
than 1 year after enactment on development of the ICAC program and
numbers of federal and state investigations, prosecutions and
convictions related to child exploitation;
Status of effort: Although ICAC funds have not been appropriated under
this section of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, according to DOJ
officials, OJJDP prepared reports on the ICAC program in 2009 and in
2010 that included information on the disposition of child
exploitation cases and sentencing outcomes, which was a requirement in
the Act. At the time the Act was passed, OJJDP did not have a
mechanism to capture this information. Therefore, information
presented in DOJ annual reports may not include the disposition of all
cases in 2009 and 2010. According to DOJ officials, the report OJJDP
prepared for the Attorney General in 2009 on the status of the ICAC
program was incorporated in the National Strategy. The 2010 report on
the status of the ICAC program is currently under review at OJJDP, and
DOJ officials stated that they plan to incorporate it as part of the
update to the National Strategy.
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General;
Provision: § 105(a) - (f); 42 U.S.C. § 17615(a) - (f);
Responsibility: National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System
(NIDS): NIDS, to be housed and maintained within DOJ or a credentialed
law enforcement agency, is to assist and support law enforcement
investigating and prosecuting child exploitation. NIDS, which is
required to be available to credentialed law enforcement agencies for
a nominal fee, must allow information sharing and case deconfliction,
provide a dynamic undercover infrastructure, enable real-time
reporting of child exploitation cases involving local victims,
identify high-priority suspects, and include a network that provides
for secure, online data storage and analysis and online communication,
among other things;
Status of effort: DOJ issued a grant solicitation for development of
NIDS in March 2009. The initial grant solicitation was for the
construction, maintenance, and housing of the system and other tasks,
such as linking the system with the ICAC Task Force Portal. In January
2010, applicants for the 2009 NIDS grant solicitation were notified
that the agency would not make an award under the solicitation because
it planned to pursue a different system for deconfliction and
investigation than was described in the solicitation. DOJ reissued the
NIDS grant solicitation in June 2010 to select a contractor to conduct
a national needs assessment and perform other tasks in support of
developing the system in the future. In September 2010, DOJ awarded
the grant for the NIDS needs assessment and development activities to
the Massachusetts State Police, and its partners Fox Valley Technical
College, University of Massachusetts, and University of New Hampshire
Crimes Against Children Research Center. According to OJJDP officials,
no decision has been made as to where the system will be hosted. The
National Coordinator said that the U.S. Marshals Service Sex Offender
Targeting Center will be considered as an appropriate platform to host
the system.
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General;
Provision: § 105(g); 42 U.S.C. § 17615(g);
Responsibility: National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System
Steering Committee: Requires the Attorney General to establish a
Steering Committee to provide guidance to NIDS on the network
requirements and assist in the development of strategic plans for
NIDS. Includes requirements for the composition of the 10-member
committee;
Status of effort: The National Coordinator reported that the NIDS
Steering Committee was established in April 2010 with appropriate
membership as required by the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008. The
NIDS Steering Committee consists of representatives from ICE, USPIS,
FBI, CEOS, OJJDP, and the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as
representatives from state and local law enforcement. According to the
National Coordinator, the Steering Committee met, but was suspended
while DOJ issued a grant solicitation for a NIDS needs assessment. Now
that the grantee has been selected, the steering committee has met
with the NIDS grantee to discuss formulation and operation of NIDS.
The committee plans to provide input to the grantee during the needs
assessment process and plans to continue to advise DOJ leadership as
to the formulation and operation of NIDS as the system is built and
becomes operational.
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General;
Provision: § 201; 42 U.S.C. § 17631;
Responsibility: Additional Regional Computer Forensic Labs: Requires
the Attorney General to establish additional computer forensic
capacity to address the current backlog; funds made available under
this section for additional capacity must be dedicated to assisting
law enforcement agencies in preventing, investigating, and prosecuting
internet crimes against children. The location of any new labs must be
determined in consultation with specified stakeholders, such as the
Director of the FBI and the Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory
National Steering Committee, and others. The Attorney General is
required to submit a report on how appropriated funds were utilized no
later than 1 year after enactment and annually;
Status of effort: Currently, the FBI is in the process of initiating
new Regional Computer Forensics Laboratories (RCFL) in Los Angeles and
New Mexico, scheduled to begin operations in January 2011 and March
2011, respectively. In 2006, FBI began the process of seeking a
nonpersonnel budget enhancement for these RCFLs and received $6
million in 2008 to build these facilities. To date, the RCFL Program
has received no additional funding to initiate these, or any other,
RCFLs. FBI has used the base funding of its RCFL National Program to
support the 14 existing RCFLs as well as the 2 new RCFLs. In addition,
the FBI's Operational Technology Division has initiated multiple
efforts both inside and outside of RCFLs to reduce backlogs. These
include initiatives such as:
The Case Agent Investigative Review system, which provides
investigators the ability to review results of digital forensic
examinations conducted in an RCFL from an FBI computer terminal;
Investigative kiosks that allow law enforcement to extract data from
cell phones or loose media in a forensically sound manner and analyze
evidence; Expanded use of preview tools to decrease the amount of
digital evidence seized and to triage that which is seized for
examination.
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General; (through the
National Institute of Justice);
Provision: § 401;
Responsibility: National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Study of Risk
Factors for Assessing Dangerousness: Requires NIJ to prepare a report
to identify the investigative factors indicating whether a subject of
an online child exploitation investigation poses a high risk of harm
to children, in consultation and coordination with specified entities,
such as state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies and NCMEC,
among others. Report is due not later than 1 year after enactment, and
NIJ must present findings and recommendations to the Judiciary
Committees;
Status of effort: According to DOJ officials, this report has not been
initiated because funds have not been appropriated for this activity
under the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008, and DOJ does not have
plans or a time frame to conduct such a study. However, according to
the National Coordinator, an examination of how such a study would be
conducted would likely be considered by the National Strategy Working
Group as it moves forward.
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General; NCMEC;
Provision: § 501(a); 18 U.S.C. § 2258A;
Responsibility: Reporting Requirements of Electronic Communication
Service Providers and Remote Computing Service Providers (ESPs):
Amends the criminal code to establish monetary penalties for ESPs that
fail to report to the CyberTipline actual knowledge of facts and
circumstances from which there is an apparent violation of specified
provisions of the criminal code relating to the sexual exploitation of
children and child pornography.
Enforcement: The Attorney General is responsible for the enforcement
of the reporting requirements.
Designation of law enforcement agencies: Requires the Attorney General
to designate federal law enforcement agencies to which NCMEC will
forward the reports. Also requires the Attorney General to designate,
in consultation with the Secretary of State, foreign law enforcement
agencies, the conditions under which a report may be forwarded to such
foreign agencies, and a process for foreign agencies to request
assistance from federal law enforcement related to reports forwarded
to them by NCMEC. Requires that the Attorney General maintain and make
available the list of designated foreign agencies to specified
entities, including the Judiciary Committees, and provides the sense
of Congress that the Attorney General and Secretary of State should
make a substantial effort to expand the list.
Report forwarding: Requires NCMEC to forward reports to the designated
federal law enforcement agencies; and allows NCMEC to forward reports
to state/local law enforcement agencies, as well as designated foreign
law enforcement agencies, subject to conditions established by the
Attorney General and with copies provided to specified entities,
including the Attorney General and federal law enforcement agencies.
Requires NCMEC to inform the ESP as to whether or not the report was
forwarded to a foreign law enforcement agency where the ESP made a
report as a result of a request by a foreign law enforcement agency.
Limits disclosure of reports by NCMEC to these entities and for
purposes under § 2258C (below).
Disclosure of information: Limits the permitted disclosures by law
enforcement agencies of information contained in a report received
from NCMEC to specified individuals and purposes.
Preservation: Requires ESPs to preserve information submitted in a
report to the CyberTipline for 90 days;
Status of effort: DOJ officials reported that as of December 15, 2010,
the agency is not aware of any violations where ESPs failed to report
to the CyberTipline and therefore has not taken any enforcement
actions under this provision. According to the National Coordinator,
DOJ has not yet designated a list of federal law enforcement agencies
or a list of foreign law enforcement agencies to which CyberTipline
reports may be forwarded. NCMEC officials said that NCMEC forwards
CyberTipline reports to federal law enforcement agencies.
Additionally, NCMEC currently refers CyberTipline reports to foreign
law enforcement agencies through ICE. DOJ officials said that they
plan to coordinate with NCMEC to determine how such a formal
designation would work best with NCMEC's current process, but has no
time frames for doing so. According to NCMEC, as of December 2010
access to NCMEC's CyberTipline reports is limited to 83 virtual
private networks (including ICAC task forces and international law
enforcement via ICE) and the federal law enforcement agencies that
have representatives who liaison with NCMEC to distribute reports for
investigative purposes.
Responsible entity or official: NCMEC;
Provision: § 501(a); 18 U.S.C. § 2258C;
Responsibility: Use to Combat Child Pornography of Technical Elements
Relating to Images Reported to the CyberTipline: Allows NCMEC to
provide to ESPs, and requires NCMEC to provide to federal, state, and
local law enforcement involved in the investigation of child
pornography crime, elements relating to any apparent child pornography
image of an identified child--but not actual images--for the purpose
of permitting the ESP to stop further transmission of images and for
the investigation of child pornography cases, respectively;
Status of effort: NCMEC has several initiatives to provide law
enforcement and ESPs elements relating to apparent child pornography
images of an identified child. For example, according to NCMEC
officials, it has developed an initiative called the Law Enforcement
Services Portal, which allows law enforcement agencies access to
NCMEC's Child Recognition and Identification systems to quickly
identify hash values[A] of identified child victims. The portal
separates out hash values of identified child victims from those who
have not been identified so that law enforcement can quickly match
hash values they receive during investigations against the database of
image information. According to NCMEC officials, the Law Enforcement
Services Portal is operational and efforts to register additional law
enforcement officers will continue in 2011.
NCMEC established its Hash Value Sharing initiative in 2008 to provide
elements relating to apparent child pornography images of an
identified child. NCMEC provides a list of hash values to requesting
ESPs who use hash-seeking software to detect and remove illegal files
from their systems. NCMEC provided hash values to 10 ESPs, as of
November 23, 2010.
In addition, NCMEC established its Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
initiative in 2008. Through this initiative, NCMEC provides a daily
list of active URLs (also known as Web addresses) that contain photos
or videos of apparent child pornography, and, as of November 23, 2010,
has provided this list of URLs to 85 ESPs. ESPs may take action to
prevent users from accessing these sites. For example, ESPs that host
Web sites can check the URL list to ensure that none of the sites that
they host are on the list.
Under its Child Victim Identification Program, NCMEC requests that
when a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency has identified
child victims featured in child pornography images that it provides
NCMEC with copies of the images and information related to the
investigation. NCMEC uses this information to assist law enforcement
agencies and prosecutors with determining if submitted images contain
children who have been identified in past investigations. Under this
program, NCMEC also helps prosecutors prove that a real child is
depicted in child pornography images. According to NCMEC, through this
effort, children have been rescued from ongoing exploitation as a
result of the cooperative efforts between the program and law
enforcement.
Responsible entity or official: NCMEC;
Provision: § 501(a); 42 U.S.C. § 2258D(d);
Responsibility: Minimizing Access: Requires NCMEC to minimize the
number of employees who are provided access to any image provided
under § 2258A and ensure that any such image is permanently destroyed
upon notification from a law enforcement agency;
Status of effort: According to NCMEC officials, since the passage of
the Act NCMEC has reduced the number of employees with access to
CyberTipline images by 21 percent from 72 to 57 by removing access to
images from employees who transfer from the NCMEC's Exploited Child
Division, which reviews CyberTipline reports, to other divisions.
Another means that NCMEC has used to minimize the number of employees
with access to CyberTipline images is to create a "read only" level of
access to the CyberTipline for employees whose job responsibilities
require them to have access to CyberTipline information, but not
images. Currently, a total of 86 employees have "read only" access.
NCMEC officials stated that NCMEC has never been asked by a law
enforcement agency to permanently destroy images.
Responsible entity or official: Attorney General;
Provision: § 502(a);
Responsibility: Attorney General Report on Implementation,
Investigative Methods and Information Sharing: Requires the Attorney
General to submit a report to the Judiciary Committees, not later than
12 months after enactment, on the structure established in response to
the Act, legal and constitutional implications of the structure,
privacy safeguards, and numerical information related to §§ 2258A(b)
and 2258C;
Status of effort: According to officials, DOJ has not prepared this
report and does not yet have a time frame for completing it.
Source: The PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 and GAO analysis of
information from DOJ and NCMEC.
[A] Hash values, also known as digital fingerprints, are computational
values that serve as unique identifiers for electronic files, such as
images, documents, or storage media such as hard drives.
[End of table]
[End of section]
Appendix III: Overview of NIDS Components and System Functions
Outlined by the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008:
Table 16 provides an overview of the technical specifications of the
National Internet Crimes Against Children Data System (NIDS) as
described by the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008.[Footnote 91]
Table 16: Information on the NIDS Components Required by and Functions
Described in the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008:
NIDS component: Case deconfliction;
NIDS functional description: NIDS is to provide a secure, online
system for federal law enforcement agencies; ICAC task forces; and
other state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to use in
resolving case conflicts.
NIDS component: Real-time reporting;
NIDS functional description: NIDS is required to ensure that child
exploitation cases involving local child victims that are reasonably
detectable using available software and data are, immediately upon
their detection, made available to participating law enforcement
agencies.
NIDS component: High-priority suspects identification;
NIDS functional description: Every 30 days, at a minimum, NIDS shall:
(1) identify high-priority suspects, such as suspects determined by
the volume of suspected criminal activity or other indicators of
seriousness of offense or dangerousness to the community or a
potential local victim; and; (2) report all such identified high-
priority suspects to participating law enforcement agencies.
NIDS components: Data collection and analysis;
NIDS functional description: NIDS is required to ensure the
availability of any statistical data indicating the overall magnitude
of child pornography trafficking and child exploitation in the United
States and internationally, such as the number of computers and users
engaged in peer-to-peer child pornography, among other data.
NIDS components: Local data analysis;
NIDS functional description: NIDS is to provide a secure online data
storage and analysis system that credentialed users may use.
NIDS components: Secure connections;
NIDS functional description: NIDS is required to provide secure
connections with state, local, and tribal law enforcement computer
networks, consistent with reasonable and established security
protocols and guidelines.
NIDS components: Dynamic undercover infrastructure;
NIDS functional description: NIDS is to provide for a dynamic
undercover infrastructure to facilitate online investigations of child
exploitation.
NIDS components: Software development and support;
NIDS functional description: NIDS is required to facilitate and
develop essential software and network capability for law enforcement
participants, as well as provide software or direct hosting and
support for online investigations of child exploitation activities.
NIDS components: Online communications and collaboration;
NIDS functional description: NIDS must provide for a secure system
enabling online communications and collaboration by participants
regarding ongoing investigations, investigatory techniques, and best
practices.
NIDS components: Guidelines and training and technical assistance;
NIDS functional description: NIDS must provide for guidelines as well
as training and technical assistance on use of the system.
Source: PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008.
[End of table]
[End of section]
Appendix IV: Comments from the Department of Justice:
U.S. Department of Justice:
Office of the Deputy Attorney General:
Washington, DC 20530:
March 25, 2011:
Ms. Eileen R. Larence:
Director, Homeland Security and Justice:
United States Government Accountability Office:
Washington, DC 20548:
Dear Ms. Larence:
The Department has reviewed the Government Accountability Office's
(GAO) draft report entitled "Combating Child Pornography: Steps Needed
to Ensure Tips to Law Enforcement are Useful and Forensic Examinations
are Cost Effective," GA0-11-334. We appreciate GAO's acknowledgment of
the progress made under the Act: specifically, the creation and
implementation of the National Strategy; formal establishment of 61
ICAC task forces; selection of the National Coordinator; and,
implementation of the National Strategy. The Department generally
concurs with the GAO's recommendations and will provide updates to
Congress on our progress in implementing them.
In its draft report, GAO notes that three provisions of the Act
require additional work to implement. As noted below, activity related
to each provision is ongoing. One provision of the Act requires the
National Institute of Justice ("ND") to complete a report identifying
factors that indicate levels of dangerousness of online offenders.
Toward that end, the Department solicited grant applications related
to the design of the National Internet Crimes Against Children Data
System ("NIDS"). The grantee team will provide the Department with
three products: 1) an assessment of what is needed to build a system
providing law enforcement with information sharing and deconfliction
tools; 2) new undercover investigative tools; and 3) a white paper
addressing the dangerousness issue with recommendations on further
research paths. The latter will allow the Department to determine the
appropriate avenue to direct research grants for further study of this
complex issue and will assist in identifying the factors contemplated
by the Act. The grant was awarded in September 2010, and these three
products will be delivered by August 31, 2012.
GAO also noted that the Department has not completed work on that
provision of the Act related to information sharing structures. As
noted above, the Department solicited grant applications for the
design of an information sharing system, and when the system is,
closer to fruition, the Department will report to Congress on its
progress.
Finally, with respect to that portion of the Act requiring the
designation of foreign law enforcement agencies to receive CyberTips
from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
("NCMEC"), a working group has been established, which includes
various law enforcement agencies and NCMEC, and is working to satisfy
this provision. We expect to be able to report on substantial progress
on this provision of the Act to Congress in the next six months.
With respect to the three remaining recommendations, the Department
concurs with GAO. One recommendation is that NCMEC enhance its ability
to collect feedback from law enforcement on the efficacy of the
CyberTips it distributes to law enforcement. Efforts to improve the
CyberTip process are underway, and NCMEC and the Department will be
able to report to Congress on these improvements in the next six
months. GAO also recommended that the Department build the National
Internet Crimes Against Children Data System, as required in the
Protect Our Children Act of 2008. We concur, and as noted above, are
in process of receiving a needs assessment on the system from a
qualified team of grantees. We also agree with the recommendation that
the efficacy of computer forensic process should be assessed. There
are two major efforts currently underway to review and assess digital
forensics across the Department.
The GAO has recommended that the Attorney General direct the National
Strategy Working Group and its Technical Assistance Subconunittee to
assess the efficacy of various steps federal law enforcement agencies
take that they believe enhances the integrity of forensic analysis of
digital evidence in investigating online child pornography crimes. The
Subcommittee has been studying the issue of the timeliness and
usefulness of computer forensic examinations and has made
recommendations that are currently under review.
In addition to the work of the above-referenced Subcommittee, the
Office of the Deputy Attorney General leads a Computer Forensics
Working Group. This group is also examining the current processes by
which the Department conducts its digital forensics examinations. As
part of these reviews, the Department will be taking into account the
resources associated with various steps DOJ law enforcement takes in
conducting digital forensic analysis. We hope to be able to provide an
update to Congress on our progress on digital forensics in the next
six months.
The Department appreciates the work of the GAO and this opportunity to
comment on the GAO's draft report. Should you have any questions
regarding this topic, please do not hesitate to contact Richard
Theis, Department of Justice Audit Liaison on 202-514-0469.
Sincerely,
Signed by:
Francey Hakes:
National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and
Interdiction:
[End of section]
Appendix V: Comments from the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children:
National Center For Missing & Exploited Children:
Charles B. Wang International Children's Building:
699 Prince Street:
Alexandria, VA 22314-3175:
Telephone: 703-224-2150:
Facsimile: 703-224-2122:
[hyperlink, http://www.missingkids.com]
[hyperlink, http://www.cybertipline.com]
Other Offices:
California:
Florida:
New York:
Texas:
March 22, 2011:
Eileen R. Larance:
Director, Homeland Security and Justice:
United States Government Accountability Office:
Washington, DC:
Dear Ms. Larance:
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) was
pleased to work with your staff for the report entitled "Combating
Child Pornography: Steps Needed to Ensure Tips to Law Enforcement are
Useful and Forensic Examinations are Cost Effective", GA0-11-334. As
noted in the report, NCMEC will further its efforts to solicit better
feedback from law enforcement on the usefulness of individual
CyberTipline reports. We agree there should be a better understanding
of how information provided by electronic communication service
providers, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §2258A, may determine whether a law
enforcement agency can begin an investigation.
We appreciate the GAO's recognition that NCMEC has played a key role
in coordinating law enforcement efforts through the operation of the
CyberTipline. NCMEC will continue to meet with stakeholders to explore
ways to improve the overall CyberTipline process.
Thank you very much.
Signed by:
Ernie Allen:
President and Chief Executive Officer:
[End of section]
Appendix VI: GAO Contact and Acknowledgments:
GAO Contact:
Eileen R. Larence, (202) 512-8777 or larencee@gao.gov:
Acknowledgments:
In addition to the contact named above, Mary Catherine Hult, Assistant
Director, and Robert Rivas, Analyst-in-Charge, managed this
assignment. David Alexander, Kristy Brown, Amy Bush, Christopher
Conrad, Katherine Davis, Pawnee A. Davis, Lorraine Ettaro, Harold
Lewis, Marvin McGill, Gary Mountjoy, Susan Sachs, and Janet Temko made
significant contributions to this report.
[End of section]
Footnotes:
[1] The National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and
Interdiction, A Report to Congress, U.S. Department of Justice, August
2010.
[2] The ICAC Task Force Program is a network of 61 task forces
comprised of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and
prosecutorial agencies. ICAC task force agencies engage in
investigations, forensic examinations, and prosecutions of Internet
crimes against children.
[3] Pursuant to the Providing Resources, Officers, and Technology To
Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act of 2008 (PROTECT Our
Children Act of 2008), "child exploitation" generally consists of
conduct involving a minor that violates specific criminal provisions
of the U.S. Code, or any sexual activity involving a minor for which a
person can be charged with a criminal offense. Pub. L. No. 110-401, §
2, 122 Stat. 4229, 4230. Some of these criminal provisions include,
for example, causing a minor to engage in a sex act by force;
transporting an individual for purposes of prostitution or other
criminal sexual activity; or mailing, receiving, and distributing
child pornography. Child pornography has a more specific definition
under 18 U.S.C. § 2256, and generally consists of any visual
depiction, the production of which involves the use of a minor
engaging in sexually explicit conduct or that involves a minor
engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
[4] 18 U.S.C. §§ 2251, 2252, 2252A.
[5] The Missing Children's Assistance Act, as amended, directs OJJDP
to make an annual grant to NCMEC to carry out various responsibilities
related to missing and exploited children. Among these are
coordinating public and private programs to locate missing children,
providing technical assistance and training, and providing information
and assistance services. 42 U.S.C. § 5773(b)(1).
[6] The PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 requires electronic
communication service providers and remote computing service providers
to make reports to the CyberTipline. Pub. L. No. 110-401, § 501(a)
(codified at 18 U.S.C. § 2258A). Collectively termed ESPs for purposes
of this report, these include any service that provides to users the
ability to send or receive wire or electronic communications, such as
e-mail and instant messaging services and gateway access to the
Internet; as well as data storage services, such as those that offer
subscribers the opportunity to store materials like address books,
calendars, photo albums, video content, electronic files, documents,
and other types of content.
[7] Pub. L. No. 110-401, 122 Stat. 4229.
[8] Deconfliction is the coordination and information sharing among
law enforcement agencies on multijurisdiction investigations to help
ensure officer safety and the effective use of resources.
[9] We chose these dates to obtain an overview of trends in law
enforcement activity related to efforts to combat online crimes
against children as well as to examine federal activity before and
after passage of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008. Specifically,
we analyzed data on investigations and arrests from FBI, ICE, United
States Secret Service, and USPIS; resource data from FBI, DOJ's Child
Exploitation and Obscenity Section, ICE, and USPIS; and data on cases
and investigations reported by ICAC task forces to OJJDP. To assess
the reliability of these data, we questioned officials knowledgeable
on their respective agency's data systems about how the data were
compiled and the steps taken to ensure data quality. Based on their
responses, we determined these data to be sufficiently reliable for
the purposes of this report.
[10] Program management standards we reviewed are reflected in the
Project Management Institute's The Standard for Program Management ©
(2006).
[11] NCMEC provides a Web page specifically for ESPs that have
registered with NCMEC to allow for secured submission of CyberTipline
reports. We selected ESPs from among the 620 that had registered as of
April 2010 to reflect time before and after enactment of the Act.
[12] We selected these organizations based on their varied
perspectives and focuses in civil liberties, high-technology, and
partnerships with Internet and law enforcement communities. The
information obtained from these interviews cannot be generalized to
all such organizations; however, the interviews provided an overview
of perspectives about Internet-related privacy concerns.
[13] We selected these dates to provide 2 full years of data from the
time of our review, reflecting time before and after enactment of the
Act. To assess the reliability of these data, we questioned NCMEC
officials knowledgeable on the data about how the reports were
compiled and the steps taken to ensure data quality. Based on their
responses, we determined these data to be sufficiently reliable to
report general trends.
[14] These ICAC task forces were located in the Middle District of
Florida, the Western District of New York, the Western District of
Missouri, the Northern District of California, the District of
Arizona, and the Eastern District of Virginia. We also interviewed
officials from two ICAC task forces, the Northern District of Texas
and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, which we selected based on
their experience with an automated deconfliction tool and geographic
location.
[15] For example, see GAO, Transportation Research: Opportunities for
Improving the Oversight of DOT's Research Programs and User
Satisfaction with Transportation Statistics, [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-917] (Washington, D.C.: Aug. 15,
2006).
[16] The initiative is a DOJ initiative designed to reduce the
incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Among their
responsibilities, coordinators interact with area law enforcement to
reduce child exploitation. In addition to interviewing coordinators in
the six selected districts, we interviewed AUSAs from a seventh
district, selected to reflect geographic range.
[17] Within DOJ's Criminal Division, CEOS attorneys prosecute federal
child exploitation offenses, including child pornography crimes, and
provide prosecutorial guidance to federal law enforcement agencies,
among other things.
[18] See Circular No. A-11 Preparation, Submission, and Execution of
the Budget (July 2010); Circular No. A-94 Guidelines and Discount
Rates for Benefit-Cost Analysis of Federal Programs (October 1992);
and Circular A-4 Regulatory Analysis (September 2003).
[19] We briefed the reporting committees in October 2010 to meet time
frames specified in the Act.
[20] See 42 U.S.C. § 5773(b)(1).
[21] See Pub. L. No. 110-401, § 501(a) (codified at 18 U.S.C. §
2258A). Before the passage of the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008,
ESPs were required to report instances of apparent child pornography
to the CyberTipline under 42 U.S.C. § 13032(b), which provided for
civil penalties for failure to report.
[22] NCMEC maintains a secure Web page available specifically for
registered ESPs as well as a Web page available for the general
public, both of which allow for reports to be made to the
CyberTipline. According to NCMEC officials, ESPs can also submit child
pornography-related tips to the general public's Web page, in which
case NCMEC contacts the ESP to register them so that future tips can
be submitted to the ESP secure Web page.
[23] The number of reports submitted to the CyberTipline does not
equate to the actual number of incidents of apparent child pornography
being reported because, for example, different individuals may have
reported the same incident to an ESP and each of these reports is
recorded separately.
[24] This working group includes participants from the FBI, CEOS, ICE,
USPIS, five ICAC task forces, the Executive Office for United States
Attorneys, the Department of Defense, and USSS.
[25] The six subcommittees are Technical Assistance, Global Outreach,
Community Outreach, Research and Grant Planning, Training, and Law
Enforcement Collaboration.
[26] In general, a portal is a Web site that serves as a starting
point to other destinations or activities and provides information
from different sources in a unified way. Hash values, also known as
digital fingerprints, are computational values that serve as unique
identifiers for electronic files, such as images, documents, or
storage media such as hard drives.
[27] Pub. L. No. 110-401, § 401.
[28] Id. § 502(a).
[29] Id. § 501(a) (codified at 18 U.S.C. § 2258A(d)).
[30] Id.
[31] Project Management Institute, The Standard for Program Management
© (2006).
[32] 42 U.S.C. § 5773(b)(1)(P).
[33] Pub. L. No. 110-401, § 501(a) (codified at 18 U.S.C. §
2258A(a)(1),(f)).
[34] According to NCMEC officials, there is no way to know how many,
or which, ESPs do not report because there is no known source or list
of all existing ESPs. Officials also stated that those ESPs that do
not report may not have apparent child pornography on their networks
to report.
[35] Officials could report having more than one concern.
[36] Pub. L. No. 110-401, § 501(a) (codified at 18 U.S.C. § 2258B(a)).
Under the Act, ESPs are required to preserve information reported to
the CyberTipline for 90 days. § 2258A(h).
[37] Prior to developing the guide, NCMEC provided information to ESPs
about their legal obligations to report to NCMEC under the Act and,
according to NCMEC officials, plans to continue such action. For
example, NCMEC officials attended conferences twice a year where they
provided ESPs with information about its CyberTipline and answered
ESPs' questions. Officials said that NCMEC also answers ESPs'
questions about making reports to the CyberTipline through phone calls
and e-mails.
[38] The CyberTipline Safeguard Program provides training and
consultation to NCMEC staff members exposed to harmful content (i.e.,
child sexual abuse images). The goal of the program is to minimize
potential harm as a result of viewing objectionable material on a
daily basis. This goal is accomplished through the use of in-house
social workers and regular visits by a consulting, private
psychologist. ESPs that express interest in developing their own
wellness programs may contact NCMEC to discuss how to develop a
similar program for their employees.
[39] Because the guide was new, we did not solicit ESPs' opinions
about it. Instead, we compared the contents of the guide to the
concerns ESPs identified to determine the extent to which the guide
provided information that could help to address these concerns.
[40] See, e.g., U.S. v. Richardson, 607 F.3d 357 (4th Cir. 2010)
(holding that AOL was not acting as a government agent subject to the
requirements of the Fourth Amendment when it searched defendant's e-
mail and subsequently reported child pornography it found to NCMEC in
conformance with requirements now codified at 18 U.S.C. § 2258A).
[41] 42 U.S.C. § 5773(b)(1)(P).
[42] The PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 requires ESPs to report any
facts and circumstances from which there is an apparent child
pornography violation. However, the facts and circumstances that an
ESP possesses or includes in its report may vary.
[43] The other seven reporting categories are: online enticement of
children for sexual acts, child prostitution, sex tourism involving
children, extrafamilial child sexual molestation, unsolicited obscene
material sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading
words or digital images on the Internet.
[44] NCMEC assigns a priority level to every CyberTipline report
received. CyberTipline reports that indicate a child is in imminent
danger, such as online enticement, are priority 1. Reports of child
pornography from registered ESPs that are made to the registered ESP
reporting Web page are designated priority 4. This priority level
indicates that the report may contain illegal content.
[45] The other 16 reclassified incident types are: child pornography
(not Internet-related); child pornography (unconfirmed); child
pornography (unconfirmed - international); child prostitution; child
sex tourism; child sexual molestation; child trafficking (nonsexual
exploitation); cyberbullying; online enticement - pretravel; online
enticement - travel; other type of incident; appears adult; not enough
info/dummy record; SPAM; unable to access; and ESP test report.
[46] Jurisdictional information may include address, zip codes, IP
addresses, state, or cell phone numbers. According to NCMEC officials,
analysts conduct open-source, online searches in an attempt to
determine possible jurisdiction or corroborate information in the
initial CyberTipline report.
[47] Virtual private networks allow NCMEC to disseminate CyberTipline
reports to ICAC task forces through secure encrypted connections.
[48] Federal law enforcement has the authority to obtain
jurisdictional information through the legal process, such as by
serving a subpoena. Therefore, according to NCMEC officials, federal
law enforcement liaisons are the appropriate recipients of
CyberTipline reports in which no jurisdiction was determined by NCMEC
because they are sometimes able to determine a jurisdiction based on
other information in the report when they serve a subpoena to an ESP
to obtain the suspect's location because they can use such legal
process to obtain additional information.
[49] An official from the eighth task force stated that the ICAC
received about 10 to 15 percent of its leads from the CyberTipline but
generally relied on undercover investigations for its leads.
[50] The number of reports provided by NCMEC to law enforcement
agencies does not equate to the actual number of incidents of apparent
child pornography being reported because, for example, different
individuals may have reported the same incident to an ESP and each of
these reports is recorded separately.
[51] Officials from one ICAC task force stated that they found all
information valuable and officials from one ICAC task force did not
provide information on usefulness.
[52] This form also contains five other questions related to case
status.
[53] GAO, Anti-Money Laundering: Improved Communication Could Enhance
the Support FinCEN provides to Law Enforcement, [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-141] (Washington, D.C.: Dec. 14,
2009); GAO, Juvenile Justice: DOJ is Enhancing Information on
Effective Programs, but Could Better Assess the Utility of This
Information, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-125]
(Washington, D.C., December 2009); Performance Budgeting: PART Focuses
Attention on Program Performance, but More Can Be Done to Engage
Congress, [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-28]
(Washington, D.C., October 2005); Transportation Research:
Opportunities for Improving the Oversight of DOT's Research Programs
and User Satisfaction with Transportation Statistics, [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-917] (Washington, D.C.: Aug.15,
2006).
[54] [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-917].
[55] In 6 of the 28 interviews, officials indicated that they had not
pursued the same target as another agency.
[56] NCMEC produces a monthly deconfliction report that provides
information on the status of CyberTipline reports referred to ICAC
task forces. FBI, ICE and USPIS liaisons located at NCMEC provide
information and research to investigators in the field.
[57] Because we asked officials about deconfliction mechanisms and
other efforts in place to avoid duplication of effort among law
enforcement agencies in general, not all officials provided
information on the use of specific types of deconfliction mechanisms.
[58] Peer-to-peer file sharing programs are Internet applications
operating over peer-to-peer networks that enable direct communication
between users.
[59] SafetyNet is an integrated records management system for law
enforcement agencies that provides reporting and analysis capabilities
to assist with crime prevention, investigation, and incident analysis.
The National Crime Information Center is a computerized index of
criminal justice information maintained by the FBI and made available
to federal, state, and local law enforcement and other criminal
justice agencies nationwide. Its files contain among other items,
criminal record history information and information on fugitives,
stolen property, and missing persons.
[60] GAO, Information Technology, Opportunities Exist to Improve
Management of DOD's Electronic Health Records Initiative, [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-50], (Washington D.C.: October
2010), 25.
[61] Pub. L. No. 111-5, 123 Stat. 115, 130 (2009). ARRA provides DOJ
with funding for grants to assist state, local, and tribal law
enforcement to combat Internet crimes against children, among other
things. ARRA funding was available for obligation until the end of
fiscal year 2010.
[62] The Massachusetts State Police partnered with Fox Valley
Technical College, University of Massachusetts, and University of New
Hampshire Crimes Against Children Research Center.
[63] The ICAC task forces use multiple investigative tools.
[64] Forensic analysis of digital evidence can be conducted on
different types of media, such as global positioning system devices,
memory cards, or compact discs, and can be conducted by federal,
state, and local law enforcement agencies in support of a variety of
investigations, such as online child pornography crime and identity
theft.
[65] Currently, no governmentwide standards or criteria exist for
federal law enforcement for how to calculate the timeliness of
forensic analysis or backlogs in analysis, and various law enforcement
agencies have developed their own measures to calculate and track
timeliness and backlogs. For example, the FBI categorizes a request
for forensic examination of digital evidence as being in backlog
status if: (1) after being submitted for examination, more than 30
days have passed without a lead examiner being assigned, or (2) a
request has been assigned to an examiner and more than 60 days have
passed without the examination being completed. ICE defines a request
for forensic analysis as being in backlog if action is not taken on
digital media upon arrival. For the purposes of this report, the term
backlog refers, in general, to any delay in forensic analysis.
[66] The National Academy of Sciences is a federally sponsored entity
chartered to investigate, examine, experiment, and report on any
subject of science and provide advice on the scientific and
technological issues that pervade policy decisions.
[67] The report also stated that backlogs in forensic analysis can
result in prolonged incarceration for innocent persons wrongly charged
and awaiting trial. National Research Council of the National
Academies. "Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States, a
Path Forward." (The National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.: 2009).
[68] The FBI has partnered with other federal, state, and local law
enforcement agencies to establish 14 Regional Computer Forensic
Laboratories to examine digital evidence in support of criminal
investigations in areas such as child pornography, terrorism,
financial crimes, and fraud. According to FBI officials, 2 additional
laboratories in Los Angeles and New Mexico are to begin operations in
2011. These laboratories are staffed by federal, state, and local law
enforcement agency personnel who are trained and certified by the FBI
to collect and examine digital evidence pursuant to FBI requirements.
[69] According to FBI officials, this increase is due to increasing
amounts of data related to several types of crimes, including fraud
and identity theft, as well as online child pornography crime.
However, they added that online child pornography and other child
exploitation matters take up about 40 percent of the FBI's digital
forensics examination, and may constitute a higher percentage at some
Regional Computer Forensic Laboratories.
[70] The officials stated, for example, that if an online child
pornography suspect were a teacher or was on the sex offender
registry, a thorough review of all of the material on that suspect's
computer would be called for because the individual would routinely
have access to children or may have already abused children.
Alternatively, these FBI officials stated, reviews of hard drives
belonging to suspects with no access to children and no previous
history of child exploitation crime might not need as full a review.
[71] Any alternation of these electronic files changes the values.
Once digital forensic analysis is completed, verifying that the
digital fingerprint of the copied evidence still matches that of the
original digital evidence mathematically demonstrates that the
evidence has not been altered during the process.
[72] DOJ officials noted that many agencies conduct on-scene
forensics, but do so only after applying a "write-blocker," which is a
software tool that allows forensic analysts to examine a suspect's
computer hard drives or other digital media without altering data on
that media to ensure that data are not added to the suspect's storage
media. The "write-blocker" is another step taken to ensure the
integrity of the forensic analysis.
[73] The Computer Analysis Response Team, as well as the Regional
Computer Forensic Laboratories, provides assistance to FBI field
offices in the search and seizure of computer evidence, as well as
forensic examinations and technical support for FBI investigations.
[74] CEOS officials stated that they do not require forensic analysts
to record search activities;
however, they may do so at their own discretion. Additionally, USSS
labs conduct peer reviews of forensic reports before they are released.
[75] Pub. L. No. 110-401, § 101(c)(10)-(11).
[76] In addition to the subcommittee's efforts, federal law
enforcement agencies have reported taking steps to address backlogs.
For example, USSS officials stated that the agency has sent teams of
examiners to field locations to address backlogs in specific offices.
The FBI has developed kiosks that allow agents to review evidence in a
forensically sound manner without sending evidence to a forensics lab
for analysis.
[77] See Circular No. A-94 Guidelines and Discount Rates for Benefit-
Cost Analysis of Federal Programs (October 1992).
[78] The Working Group includes members from FBI, CEOS, ICE, USPIS,
five ICAC task forces, the Executive Office for United States
Attorneys, Department of Defense, and USSS.
[79] OSTWG was established by the Protecting Children in the 21ST
Century Act to evaluate the data retention practices of ESPs, among
other things. Pub. L. No. 110-385 § 214, 122 Stat. 4096, 4103-04
(2008).
[80] As noted earlier in the report, an exception to this general rule
is that ESPs are automatically required to preserve the contents of
any report to NCMEC's CyberTipline, as well as any commingled images
or data, for 90 days. 18 U.S.C. § 2258A(h). In addition, law
enforcement may direct an ESP to preserve existing records or other
evidence for a renewable period of 90 days. 18 U.S.C. § 2703(f).
[81] Statement of Jason Weinstein, Deputy Assistant Attorney General,
Criminal Division. Hearing on "Data Retention as a Tool for
Investigating Internet Child Pornography and Other Internet Crimes,"
before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary,
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, January 25,
2011.
[82] Statement of Kate Dean, United States Internet Service Provider
Association. Hearing on "Data Retention as a Tool for Investigating
Internet Child Pornography and Other Internet Crimes," before the U.S.
House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on
Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, January 25, 2011.
[83] Statement of John B. Morris, Jr., Center for Democracy and
Technology. Hearing on "Data Retention as a Tool for Investigating
Internet Child Pornography and Other Internet Crimes," before the
House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and
Homeland Security, January 25, 2011. The Center for Democracy and
Technology is a nonprofit public interest organization dedicated to
keeping the Internet open, innovative, and free.
[84] DOJ's National Coordinator stated that DOJ has not taken a
position regarding the need for data retention requirements. The
International Association of Chiefs of Police passed a resolution in
2006 calling for the development of appropriate but uniform data
retention requirements for ESPs to require, among other things, the
retention of customer subscriber information for a minimum specified
period of time so that it will be available to the law enforcement
community.
[85] See 18 U.S.C. § 2703(c)(2). Law enforcement can also request that
the ESP preserve stored records and communications for a period of 90
days, which is renewable upon request. 18 U.S.C. § 2703(f).
[86] Two ESPs opted to not provide information on their data retention
policies.
[87] Officials from two ICACs did not provide information about how
often they were able to obtain information from ESPs.
[88] Pursuant to the Providing Resources, Officers, and Technology To
Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act of 2008 (PROTECT our
Children Act of 2008), "child exploitation" generally consists of
conduct involving a minor that violates specific criminal provisions
of the U.S. Code, or any sexual activity involving a minor for which a
person can be charged with a criminal offense. Pub. L. No. 110-401, §
2, 122 Stat. 4229, 4230. Some of these criminal provisions include,
for example, causing a minor to engage in a sex act by force;
transporting an individual for purposes of prostitution or other
criminal sexual activity; or mailing, receiving, and distributing
child pornography. Child pornography has a more specific definition
under 18 U.S.C. § 2256, and generally consists of any visual
depiction, the production of which involves the use of a minor
engaging in sexually explicit conduct or that involves a minor
engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
[89] Pub. L. No. 107-56, 115 Stat. 272, 277 (2001).
[90] Pub. L. No. 110-401, 122 Stat. 4229.
[91] Pub. L. No. 110-401, § 105, 122 Stat. 4229, 4236 (2008).
[End of section]
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