U.S. Postal Inspectors Protect Children
 or more than a century, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service has investigated the sexual exploitation of children. It was the first federal law enforcement agency to aggressively identify, target, and arrest those who produce and traffic in child pornography. Specially trained Postal Inspectors investigate crimes related to the sexual exploitation of children nationwide.
The Postal Inspection Service partners with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (DOJ-CEOS), and the 93 U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the United States to investigate child sexual exploitation involving the U.S. Mail and the Internet.
The Postal Inspection Service also actively participates in Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative that employs a multi-disciplined approach to protect children, including resources from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, multiple venues of prosecution, and community outreach programs.
Are your children safe from being sexually exploited?
One in seven children aged 10 to 17 have been sexually solicited or approached via the Internet. Only 12% ever told a parent.
Reducing Online Risks
As a parent, you can reduce the chances that a sex offender will reach your children by talking with them about their Internet activities, setting rules for their Internet use, and posting rules near their computer.
Online Safety Tips
Postal Inspectors and other prevention experts recommend you learn some basic principles — and ensure your children understand them — about how to stay safe on the Internet.
Report Suspicious Activity
Your early involvement and open communication can prevent your child from becoming a victim of a child sex offender. Report online activity when you have a “gut feeling” that something doesn’t feel right — to you or your child. Trust your intuition.
If you suspect someone is trying to sexually exploit your child online, don’t delete any material and don’t shut down the computer. Turn off the monitor and report your concerns immediately to your local law enforcement agency and NCMEC’s CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.com. |
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Today, the majority of child exploitation cases investigated by Postal Inspectors — about 95 percent — involve both the U.S. Mail and the Internet.
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