SAVANNAH, GA: Edmund A. Booth, Jr., Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced that the Department of Justice has launched an initiative to combat the sexual abuse and exploitation of children, Project Safe Childhood. This initiative involves a joint effort of federal, state and local law enforcement, along with community leaders, and is designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U. S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. In the Southern District of Georgia, Assistant United States Attorney Stephen K. Marsh has been named the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator.

Booth stated, “Advances in technology have brought a tremendous amount of freedom and good to our society as a whole. But as with all things, that freedom can be abused by those who choose to harm the most innocent among us, our children. It is not an exaggeration to say that there is a war waging in this nation against our children. We cannot allow our future generations to suffer at the hands of pedophiles and predators. These sexual predators are not always online and they are not usually strangers. Rather, these individuals are often in our communities, our schools, our churches and most frightening of all, in our homes.”

Booth announced that the U. S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia has successfully prosecuted twenty-one child pornography cases since 2003 involving enticement of children and receiving, possessing, distributing and transporting child pornography. In the sixteen cases where sentences have been imposed, sentences have ranged from 21 to 168 months depending on the nature of the offenses, with the average sentence being 72 months. Booth noted that earlier this week, the Department of Justice announced a partnership with The Ad Council, a private, non-profit organization with a history of bringing volunteer talent from the advertising and media industries to deliver critical messages to the American public, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the latest educational effort to enhance awareness. The Think Before You Post Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign is designed to educate teenage girls about the potential dangers of posting and sharing personal information online. The campaign encourages them to, “think before they post,” because once their photos and information are online, they can’t take it back. The Internet is one of the greatest technological advances of our time, but it also makes it alarmingly easy for sexual predators to find and contact children,” stated Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. “As Attorney General and as a father, I am committed to protecting our children from pedophiles who troll the Internet for kids. The Think Before You Post campaign sends a strong reminder to children and their parents to be cautious when posting personal information online because anything you post, anyone can see: family, friends, and even not-sofriendly people.”

Additionally, Booth noted that the U. S. Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the federal law enforcement community including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the United States Secret Service, is reaching out to local schools, parent groups and civic organizations to address the dangers of posting personal information on the Internet. According to Booth, “this federal law enforcement outreach is an effective tool in educating the public.”

The support of local officials, local leaders, local media and most importantly, the citizens within the community, can make a real difference. Every citizen can be a part of this united front to defeat child predators and protect our future generations. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

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