The following post appears courtesy of Paul Almanza, National Coordinator for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.

Today, more than 1,700 investigators, agents, prosecutors, victim advocates and community outreach specialists from around the country and from all levels of government are gathered in Atlanta for the 2012 National Law Enforcement Training on Child Exploitation. 

Hosted by the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative and Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, the 2012 national training is the largest child exploitation training ever organized by the Justice Department.

Over the course of the next three days, federal, state and local government officials will participate in state-of-the art instruction on investigative techniques, court room advocacy, digital forensics, behavioral profiling, victim advocacy and community outreach.  More than 40 different hands-on laboratory workshops will be offered to train law enforcement on various software programs and computer technologies that can be used to investigate child exploitation cases. 

The training will also provide law enforcement officials with the opportunity to strengthen the partnerships that are necessary to combat the growing problem of child sexual exploitation.  As the Deputy Attorney General noted today in his opening remarks at the training:

“In order to maximize the impact our efforts have on child sexual exploitation crimes, it is absolutely essential that we all continue to improve the way we work together to investigate these crimes, prosecute the offenders, and help the victims recover from the terrible harms they have suffered.  No one agency can tackle the challenges of these cases alone – it is therefore essential that all of us who work to protect children deepen our collaboration and partnership so that we can bring all available resources and expertise to the fight.” 

The national training is a crucial step in the department’s unwavering efforts to protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation.  The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (PSC), which began in 2006, has led to significant increases in child exploitation prosecutions.  In fiscal year (FY) 2011, the department obtained more than 2,700 indictments for offenses involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, a 42% increase over the amount obtained in FY 2006.  Since the launch of PSC, approximately 3,500 children depicted in child pornography images have been identified through enhanced law enforcement coordination, multi-jurisdictional collaborative efforts and additional contributions by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. 

This year’s training advances the department’s National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.  Announced in 2010, the National Strategy lays out goals to increase coordination among investigators, better train investigators and prosecutors, advance law enforcement’s technological capabilities and enhance research to inform decisions on deterrence, incarceration and monitoring.  More information about the National Strategy and PSC can be found at: http://www.justice.gov/psc/publications.html

Last week Deputy Attorney General James Cole spoke at a symposium on how the Department of Justice is continuing to fight human trafficking, both nationally and abroad. The symposium, titled “A Global Perspective on Human Trafficking,” was held at Yale Law School and sponsored by David B. Fein, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and the FBI. A panel presentation titled “Expanding our Reach: Law Enforcement and NGO Partnerships” was also held during the event. During the panel discussion representatives from law enforcement, victim service groups and non-governmental organizations discussed the critical need to establish support networks for the rescue of and transition services for these vulnerable victims of human trafficking.

At the event, Deputy Attorney General Cole spoke about the scourge of human trafficking and the department’s deep commitment to stopping it:

It seems almost unfathomable that today in the 21^st Century, we still live in a world where human trafficking persists.   And yet it exists and is often hiding in plain and painful sight. It’s the young woman who comes to America for the promise of a new life but finds herself enslaved and sold for sex.   Or the child who grew up here in America but ran away from home only to find herself the victim of her desperate acceptance of help from the wrong person.   Or the migrant worker who is deprived of identification, transportation, and access to money in order to ensure his total dependence on his employer. The Department of Justice is resolutely committed to preventing and combating human trafficking in all its forms. For Attorney General Holder and I, this is a deeply held conviction.

Within the Department of Justice, there are an array of components that work to combat human trafficking, including the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and the FBI. Additionally, the Office of Justice Programs provides critical funding and grants to states across the country, which help to combat human trafficking nationally and assist victim service organizations in local communities.

Vital partnerships with other federal authorities are also crucial to our efforts to combat human trafficking. These partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, international authorities, and non-governmental organizations have all been critical in combating instances of human trafficking nationally and worldwide.

Such programs and partnerships are proving to be effective. Last year, the Department of Justice charged a record number of defendants in human trafficking cases. Over the last three years, there has been a 30 percent increase in the number of charges. But we are not content to rest on these achievements. We are determined to continue to increase the impact of our efforts.

Last year, the Deputy Attorney General announced the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) Initiative, an interagency collaboration among the Department of Justice, Homeland Security, and Labor to further streamline investigations and prosecutions for human trafficking offenses. These ACTeams are now fully operational and are providing enhanced strategic coordination among agencies and federal prosecutors.

We know that pursuing justice within our borders is not enough. That’s why our efforts are also worldwide, echoing the Deputy Attorney General’s commitment today to fighting human trafficking globally. Through our International Criminal Investigation Training Assistance Program (ICITAP), Department officials have helped to train hundreds of prosecutors, investigators and law enforcement officials in seven partner countries spanning three continents.

We also continue to work with the State Department to engage more international partners on human trafficking issues, ensuring that they are also pursuing aggressive enforcement efforts against traffickers and have the tools to do so. Forging these partnerships across borders helps us continue to focus on prevention of trafficking rings while also making sure that victims, who have been irreparably harmed by human trafficking, have the appropriate services and resources at their disposal.

At the Department of Justice, we are committed to continuing to build strategic partnerships across international borders, all with the goal of fighting human trafficking. While we are encouraged by our recent achievements, there is still much work to be done. We will continue to strive for prevention but also justice on behalf of victims of human trafficking.

Read the press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office: U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI and Yale Law School Host Human Trafficking Syposium and the full remarks from Deputy Attorney General James Cole.

Attorney General Eric Holder announces the settlement of breach-of-trust lawsuits filed by more than 40 federally recognized American Indian tribes against the United States.

The following post appears courtesy of  Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West and Assistant Attorney General Ignacia S. Moreno.

Today, we were honored to join Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to announce the settlement of breach-of-trust lawsuits filed by more than 40 federally recognized American Indian tribes against the United States.  The announcement was an extraordinary conclusion to nearly two years of negotiations between the tribes and the United States that have culminated in settlements between the government and 41 tribes, totaling more than $1 billion.

These settlements resolve in a fair and just manner breach-of-trust claims brought by Indian tribes, some dating back more than a century. They bring to an end long-standing disputes about the management of trust funds and non-monetary trust resources, and will allow the United States and the tribes to move beyond divisive issues and into a new era of strengthened and respectful government-to-government relationships.  This is a fundamental goal of this Administration. 

We have been proud to lead the team of attorneys who represent the Department of Justice in these negotiations and to conclude this process in a way that addresses historical grievances and strengthens the trust relationship that is so fundamental to the government-to-government relationship with American Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages.  We look forward to continuing similar efforts to resolve cases brought by other tribes through settlements that are fair to both the tribes and the United States. 

Under the negotiated settlement agreements, litigation will end regarding the Department of the Interior’s accounting and management of the tribes’ trust accounts, trust lands, and other natural resources.  The United States will compensate the tribes for their breach-of-trust claims, and the tribes will waive, release, and dismiss their claims with prejudice.  The settlement agreements also contain measures to strengthen management of the tribes’ funds and natural resources, to improve communications between the tribes and the Department of the Interior, and to resolve disputes informally to reduce the likelihood of future litigation.

Read more: Attorney General Holder and Secretary Salazar Announce $1 Billion Settlement of Tribal Trust Accounting and Management Lawsuits Filed by More Than 40 Tribes

This week Deputy Attorney General James Cole traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio where he met with city officials, including Mayor Mallory and Police Chief Craig and addressed a group of Cincinnati police officers who were attending a training presented by the Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service.

The training was designed to provide tools to enhance the officers’ ability to build partnerships with community members and to work with their fellow citizens who share a commitment to public safety.  

Deputy Attorney General Cole praised the work of the Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) and their decision to participate in this training:

The CPD sought this training because it recognized that in order to maintain its deep commitment to community policing, it must keep seeking new opportunities to build community partnerships.   As you know, the Attorney General came to Cincinnati last year to recognize this commitment and to announce that the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services had awarded the CPD over 6.8 million dollars to put more cops on the beat.   With Chief Craig’s leadership, the CPD has embraced community problem oriented policing to allow officers and the community to work together to solve problems.  

The Community Relations Service (CRS) has a unique mission within the Department of Justice that allows the agency to work with community members and law enforcement leaders to work proactively to address tension associated with allegations of discrimination and to help prevent and respond more effectively to alleged hate crimes. 

CRS does not investigate or prosecute and operates under a strict confidentiality mandate that enables the agency to serve police leaders and community leaders in a manner that recognizes the complexity of the challenges that communities face daily.  CRS regularly responds to requests from law enforcement officials and from other community leaders across the country who share a sense of responsibility to improve public safety.  

CRS provided Cultural Professionalism training, which engaged officers in a discussion regarding how to identify the perspectives of various cultures and communities, the impact of police culture on communities, and how communication can bridge cultural divides.   Another training session, focused on Arab/Muslim/Sikh Cultural Awareness was designed to foster mutual understanding and enhance law enforcement outreach capabilities to Arab, Muslim, and Sikh communities by addressing cultural behaviors and sensitivities, stereotypes, and expectations. 

Community members from the greater Cincinnati area volunteered to help facilitate these trainings, demonstrating through an investment of time and skills their commitment to work together with law enforcement to realize the shared goal of improving public safety. 

Along with the Cincinnati Police Department, other local and neighboring law enforcement agencies and City of Cincinnati employees participated in the CRS trainings with a total of over 1000 officers trained.  The officers and the community members who participated in these trainings demonstrated an inspiring belief in the people of Cincinnati and their ability to work together as partners to realize shared goals and further improve public safety.    

The following post appears courtesy of Mary Lou Leary, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs.

One of the best things about the 2012 Summit on Preventing Youth Violence—happening this week– is listening to the participants talk.   These young people, along with their teams of official representatives from Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Salinas and San Jose, are talking about violence they have witnessed and experienced and what they are doing to create positive change in their communities.  Today, these 13 remarkable young people led discussions and recommended steps forward for their cities’ youth violence prevention programs.  

The National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention is a place where young and old work together to fix a problem that affects them all.  The forum depends on partnerships at all levels –  federal, state and local — engaging with the private sector, business and faith and community-based organizations, to design and sustain a new way of facing the challenge and finding the cure for youth violence in America.

Launched in 2010 at the direction of President Obama, the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention brings together the Departments of Justice, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Office on National Drug Control Policy and the six cities. 

The goals of the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention are to:

• Elevate the issue of youth and gang violence;
• Enhance the capacity of participating localities to more effectively prevent youth violence; and
• Sustain progress and change by expanding the national conversation about youth violence.  

This year Target Corporation, a new forum partner, provided $60,000 to sponsor one youth from each of the six cities to come to the event, tell their stories and motivate us to act.  We’ve also received wonderfully concrete and practical help from the Corporation for National and Community Service, which is partnering with the forum to provide jobs for young people through AmeriCorps and other service programs.

During this second summit, the cities also presented updates to their comprehensive plans to address youth violence.  We’ve also created an online toolkit to help other communities develop their own comprehensive plans to tackle youth violence.

An interim independent assessment of the forum’s work so far gives evidence of encouraging results. The cities are pleased with the progress they’ve made.  This work is not – and will not – be easy.  Forging a new path rarely is.  This is a long-term proposition.  Results won’t come overnight.  But I’m certain that, if we remain focused on our goals, if we’re willing to work through the challenges together, and if we remain committed to a better future for our kids, we’ll emerge from this effort in a stronger and better place.  We just have to keep talking—and listening.

The following post appears courtesy of the Civil Rights Division

Last week, a federal court in Mississippi issued an order requiring the public school district in Cleveland, Miss., to end the racial segregation of students in its schools, and to eliminate racial disparities in the composition of faculty at schools across the District.

In May 2011, the Department of Justice asked the Court to find that the District had violated its desegregation obligations, noting that while the District had been governed by desegregation orders for more than 42 years, predominantly black schools located to the east of the railroad tracks that run through the District had never been desegregated.  The United States further asserted that the ratio of black and white faculty at numerous District schools reinforced the reputation of those schools in the community as “white” or “black” schools.

The court agreed with the Department of Justice that Eastside High School – one of only two high schools in the District – was formerly a segregated black school by law, and “has never been anything other than a racially identifiable African American school” since.  The court similarly determined that there was “no data” to indicate that D.M. Smith Middle School, one of the District’s two middle schools and also located on the east side of the railroad tracks, “was ever meaningfully desegregated.”  The court observed in its decision that these two predominantly black schools are only 1.2 miles away from a high school and middle school with a substantial population of white students located to the west of the railroad tracks. 

With respect to the racial composition of faculty and staff, the court noted that school districts are prohibited from assigning to any individual school a ratio of black to white faculty and administrators that is so imbalanced as to support a perception that the school is a “black” or “white” school.  In this case, the court found that the ratio of black and white faculty at every school in the District deviated from the district-wide faculty ratio.  

Accordingly, the court ordered the district to submit a proposed plan to desegregate Eastside High School and D.M. Smith Middle School, and to integrate the faculty at each of its schools, by May 15, 2012.  The United States will then have 30 days to review the plan and confer with the District to resolve any objections to the plan.  If no resolution is reached, the United States can file written objections to the District’s plan within 20 days.   

The violations identified by the court in this case are not unique to the Cleveland, Miss.,schools.  The Civil Rights Division continues to enforce desegregation orders in 200 school districts, many of which raise issues similar to those found in this case.  For example, the Division entered into a consent decree with the Valdosta, Georgia schools last month addressing that school district’s failure to desegregate the faculty at one of its schools.  In January, the federal district court for the Southern District of Mississippi approved another consent order between the United States and the Wayne County school district addressing concerns about classroom segregation and impermissible transfers by white students from majority-black to majority-white schools. 

In all of these cases, and in the many others like them, the Division has taken seriously its obligation to ensure that the last remnants of school segregation are eliminated “root and branch” from all of our public schools.  Enforcement of the court orders mandating the desegregation of school districts formerly segregated by law is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. 

We will not waver in our commitment to ensure that each and every school district eliminates the vestiges of separate black and white schools.  We look forward to working collaboratively with the Cleveland School District and members of the community to implement the court’s order in a manner that fosters the continued growth and success of all students in the district.

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt/.