Stop Cyber Crime

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) solicits applications for initiatives which assist law enforcement in rural states and rural areas. The program helps rural states and rural areas to prevent and combat crime, especially drug-related crime, and provides for national support efforts, including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address rural needs.

The Assistance to Rural Law Enforcement to Combat Crime and Drugs Program, administered by BJA, helps rural states and rural areas prevent and combat crime, especially drug-related crime, and provides for national support efforts, including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address rural needs. In addition, priority consideration will be given to local law enforcement agencies in rural areas where the unit of local government is not eligible to receive a direct allocation from the Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program or received a direct allocation that was $50,000 or less. Applicants were invited to submit a proposal under any one of the following categories to: (1) combat rural crime; (2) improve rural law enforcement investigations; (3) enhance rural detention and jail operations; (4) facilitate rural justice information sharing; or (5) develop a national training and technical assistance program.

Under Category 1, the Kentucky Commonwealth's Attorney, 27th Judicial Circuit, will utilize its award to support the Stop Cyber Crime project. The Commonwealth's Attorney will hire an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for two years. This new position will be responsible for the implementing and coordinating all project goals, which include: increasing the number of arrests for computer-related offenses; increasing the number of convictions for computer-related offenses, with special emphasis on crimes against victims who are minors; increasing the sentence length for those convicted of computer crimes; increasing the number of revocations for those on probation or parole for computer-related offenses; reviewing and consistently addressing all cases involving computer crimes; and increasing public awareness of computer crimes. The Stop Cyber Crime program will utilize collective resources and efforts of federal, state, and local prosecutors and law enforcement, as well as state probation and parole officers to prosecute cyber-crimes, particularly against young children. The Commonealth's Attorney will form a Cyber Crime Project Workgroup to gather and review cases involving computer-related offenses. The workgroup will primarily focus on computer crimes against minors and will include representation from state, local, and federal agencies. The Cyber Crime program activities will also include educating students within the jurisdiction by speaking at the local middle and high schools, and providing educational materials to students.

CA/CF