Labrador Letter - Internet Crimes Against Children. By Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador (10/11/24)

In an eloquently written note, AG Laborador states:

For the many responsibilities of my office, there are few that are so personal, so morally imperative, as the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (“ICAC”) Unit of our Criminal Law Division. The ICAC Unit identifies, investigates, arrests, and prosecutes those individuals who use the internet to exploit and abuse children in Idaho. These predators create, collect, and distribute child sexual abuse material, target children for abuse, and share their activities, strategies, and materials with a worldwide network of pedophiles.

He then explains the changes his office has undertaken to reduce the massive backlog of crimes against children and see they are investigated and prosecuted. Their 1500 tip backlog was eliminated in short order. While in years past, tips required an average of 10 days for review with some sitting for years. Now tips are reviewed and investigated without delay (3500 estimated this year), with the average reviewed taking less than one day. Tips referred for investigation are assigned immediately.

Read the full letter for more about the transformation at the AG’s office and the many partners (including legislators) that have contributed to the improvements.

His conclusion:

You may not see it covered in the media, but we are averaging one arrest per week and from every corner of Idaho. I’m torn on whether that number should be celebrated as a great success against the pedophile networks in our state, or if I should be dismayed there is clearly so much work to be done and so many children in danger.

Each case is filled with heartbreaking details, and as a parent and grandparent, I am horrified those who prey on children walk amongst us every day. These arrests haven’t slowed down, but the sickness and perversion that drives them doesn’t take weekends or holidays off.

It’s always there, and we must be as well.