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Family Violence Prosecution Units , Internet Crimes Against Children:
Helpful Links to Fight Internet Crime
This unit within the Family Violence Division is responsible for investigating and prosecuting a wide range of computer-related crimes against children, including the use and dissemination of pornographic material involving children and the solicitation of children by online predators. Also handled by this unit are violations of the Maryland Sex Offender registry laws.
Most of the cases prosecuted by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit originate with the Montgomery County Police Department, Family Crimes Division, Pedophile Section which currently has five full-time investigators. These units work closely with the regional Maryland State Police Department Task Force on Internet Crimes Against Children as well as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The violations of the Maryland Sex Offender registry laws also originate with the Montgomery County Police Department, Family Crimes Division, Pedophile Section.
This is a brand-new unit within the State's Attorney's Office developed in response to a growing need for internet safety for our children. Ms. Deborah Armstrong, one of our most experienced and dedicated prosecutors, is the head of this unit.
John McCarthy, our State's Attorney, on Internet Crimes against children:
The safety of children in our community is one of my main concerns as State's Attorney. While the growth of the Internet provides great opportunities, for learning, it also presents risks for young children for sexual solicitation and other dangerous activities.
To combat these dangers, I developed the Internet Crimes Against Children/Sex Offender Unit. This Unit handles the prosecutions of child pornographers, sexual soliticiations over the Internet, and sexual offenders who have not registered as required by law. Additionally, this Unit works to educate parents and children about Internet safety. The Internet can be a wonderful resource, but we must work together to protect children from those who would use the Internet to prey on them.
My Office pledges to aggressively prosecute Internet predators and as well to work with the community to insure that parents and schools have the information needed to protect our most precious resource --our children.
Tips for Parents:
For Elementary School Children:
For Middle and High School Students:
The Following is a Listing of Helpful Links Concerning Internet Safety
National Center for Missing and Explotiated Children (NCMEC)
Founded in 1984, NCMEC's mission is to help prevent child abduction, and sexual exploitation, help find missing children; and assist victims of child abduction and sexual exploitation, their families, and the professioinals that serve them. Among its many other services, NCMEC operates a cyber tip line tha the public may use to report Internet-related child sexual exploitation.
Netsmartz 411 is a parents and guardians online resource for learning about Internet safety, computers and the web that can answer all questions about the online world.
Search for any registered sex offender by name or zip code. Also provide the criteria for each offender classification as well as the relevant laws.
Sites teaching children online safety:
Law enforcement agencies:
Parent guides to the Internet (learning how to use it and control its content):
Parent guides to safe Internet sites for children: