TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - Today, United States Attorney Pamela C. Marsh, along with other federal, state, and local law enforcement leaders participated in a Press Event discussing May 25th National Children’s Day and “Take 25" Child Safety Campaign at the United States Attorney’s Office in Tallahassee. This press event was conducted as a part of the Department of Justice’s fight, along with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, against child exploitation and provided an opportunity to advise the community of the outstanding efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts in combating child exploitation in the Northern District of Florida.

Every year an estimated 800,000 children are reported missing in America – that amounts to more than 2,000 every day. Fortunately, the vast majority are located quickly. Wednesday, May 25, 2011, is National Missing Children’s Day across the United States. Let this day serve as a reminder to the nation to renew efforts to reunite missing children with their families, remember those who are missing, and make child protection a national priority.

“Vigorously prosecuting and investigating these cases is only one aspect of what must be undertaken to fully and efficiently combat child exploitation,” explained U.S. Attorney Marsh. “Advancements in technology have made it easier for predators to target and victimize our children. An integral part of prevention is raising public awareness of the crimes, methods, and offenders who are committing these crimes. That is why the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is collaborating with local and state law enforcement agencies, to provide a better and more uniform message concerning how to prevent the online exploitation of children.”

The “Take 25" campaign is a national child safety public awareness campaign created in 2007 by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The campaign encourages parents to take 25 minutes to talk to their children about safety and ways to prevent abduction and exploitation.

The Tallahassee Police Department is conducting a “Take 25" event, open to the community, on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Tallahassee Police Department. The event will consist of Child ID Kits and Child Internet Safety information for children and parents.

Participation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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