Trinity Mount Ministries

CyberTipline® Success Stories November 2011

2011-11-22T14:04:00.000-08:00

CyberTipline^® Success Stories
November 2011

Report Sexual Exploitation of Children to theCyberTipline.

In Depth Interview on the Code Amber Alertag on the Peggy Smedley Show:

2011-11-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

In Depth Interview on the Code Amber Alertag on the Peggy Smedley Show

Wherever you are, Tag is always with you...

Nov 15, 2011 - Peggy Smedley Show - Security and M2M - First Responders
Featuring Patrick Bertagna, GTX Corp CEO discusses the benefits of the Code Amber AlerTag providing emergency medical information to first responders in a secure/encrypted format.Listen to the Show

The Peggy Smedley Show, with listenership of almost 100,000 is the voice of M2M and connected devices, broadcasting live each Tuesday from 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. CT on the Connected World Network, owned by Specialty Publishing Co., and a member of the World Syndicated Radio Network (wsRadio). The Peggy Smedley Show is a weekly radio show that helps listeners not only understand connected devices, but also how to make these devices a part of their everyday lives.

Past guests of the Peggy Smedley Show include:
• Alcatel-Lucent
• AT&T
• Center for Connected Health
• Google Inc.
• GrandCare Systems
• GTX Corp.
• IBM Corp.
• MIT Media Lab
• Motorola Mobility
• Omnilink
• Sprint
• T-Mobile USA
• U.S. Dept. of Energy
• Verizon Wireless
• WebTech Wireless
• Wellcore

To learn more the Code Amber Alertag click here.

The Code Amber Alertag Makes a Great Holiday Gift for Family and Friends

GTX Corp CEO Patrick Bertagna at the Undiscovered Equities Conference discusses the GPS Smart Shoe and the Code Amber Alertag Watch the Interview

Download your favorite app (or try them all) by clicking the icon that matches your phone above. Or visit our website and see how you can stay connected with friends and family www.gpstrackingapps.com.
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NCMEC - Keeping Kids Safer:

2011-11-17T15:15:00.000-08:00

Safety Tips for the Holidays

Make your family holiday outings safer and more enjoyable by reviewing the following safety tips before you head out to the local mall or public event.

When in a public facility always supervise your children, and ALWAYS accompany young children to the restroom. Make certain your children know to stay with you at all times while shopping and always CHECK FIRST with you or the person in charge before they go anywhere. It is important to know where your children are and who they are with at all times.
If older children become separated from you while holiday shopping, have them meet you in a predesignated spot such as the sales counter of the store you were in or the mall's information booth. Teach younger children to look for people who may be sources of help within the store or mall such as a uniformed law-enforcement or security officer, store salesperson with a nametag, person with a nametag who is working in the information booth, or mother with children. They should stay close to where they first became separated and NEVER leave the store/mall or go to the parking lot to look for you or your vehicle.

How Parents Can Keep Children Safe While Shopping and Traveling this Holiday Season:

2011-11-16T12:36:00.000-08:00

How Parents Can Keep Children Safe While Shopping and Traveling this Holiday Season

LEARN MORE

Know the Rules...Holiday Safety Tips

Know the Rules...When Your Child Is Flying Unaccompanied

Know the Rules...When Your Child Is Traveling Unaccompanied by Bus or Train

"The Mentalist" Actor Tim Kang Tells Parents What To Do and What Not To Do
Parents need to be careful not to let their guard down or become distracted while traveling or attending public functions during the 2011 holiday season. Tim Kang, actor from the hit CBS show The Mentalist has partnered with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help educate parents about what they should be telling their children to keep them safe while shopping and traveling this holiday season.

Parents need to talk with children about safety before heading out to a busy shopping mall or boarding a plane, train, or bus this holiday season. Crowds are greater this time of year and children may easily become separated from their parents, causing confusion and fear. If that should happen, parents need a plan and children should know what to do.

"Unfortunately many adults and children don’t know what to do if they lose each other in a public place or are faced with other unsafe situations," said actor Tim Kang. "That’s why the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is offering advice on how to remain safe and avoid panic and potential dangers."

ALWAYS

Keep children with you at all times while shopping.
Accompany and supervise children in public facilities, including restrooms.
Have a plan in case you become separated, including a pre-designated spot to meet.
Teach children to look for people who can help, such as a uniformed security officer, salesperson or mother with children.
Remind children to remain in the area where they become separated.

NEVER

Dress children in clothing that displays their first or last names, prompting unwelcome attention from people looking for an opportunity to start a conversation with your child.
Leave children in toy stores or public facilities expecting supervision from store personnel.
Go shopping or attend a public event with a child if you feel you’re going to be distracted. Make other arrangements for child care ahead of time.
Allow younger children to shop on their own to purchase surprise gifts for friends or family members.
Drop off older children at a mall or public place without agreeing on a clear plan for picking them up, including: where, what time, and what to do in case of a change in plans.

If your child is flying or riding a train or bus alone this holiday season, NCMEC urges parents to remember the following travel safety tips:

When you make reservations for your child, specify that the child will be traveling alone.
Whenever possible, book a non-stop flight or direct route. Avoid booking the last flight of the day.
Plan to visit the airport, train or bus terminal prior to departure. Let your child know what to expect, so the experience will not be so intimidating.
In case of delay or cancellation, remain at the station or gate until the train, plane or bus departs.
Make sure children travel with proper identification and parents or guardian contact information.
Always have a back-up plan for the person or people meeting the plane at the destination, in case they are delayed.
Encourage children not to become too friendly with other passengers or to reveal any personal information.

Safety tips adapted from Know the Rules…Safety Tips For the Holidays, Know the Rules...When Your Child Is Flying Unaccompanied, and Know the Rules...When Your Child is Traveling Unaccompanied by Bus or Train. Copyright © respectively 1991, 2000, and 2011 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). All rights reserved.

DOJ - Protecting the Rights of American Indians and Alaska Natives:

2011-11-15T13:33:00.000-08:00

Protecting the Rights of American Indians and Alaska Natives

November 15th, 2011 Posted by Tracy Russo

The Civil Rights Division is responsible for enforcing federal laws that protect the rights of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, religion and membership in a language minority group.
These federal laws prohibit discrimination in education, employment, credit, housing, public accommodations, voting, state and local government services, and in certain federally-funded and conducted programs, among other areas. The division also prosecutes actions under several criminal civil rights laws designed to protect personal liberties and safety.
During American Indian and Alaska Native heritage month we are proud to highlight work that has protected American Indians and Alaska Natives.
President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have made the prosecution of hate crimes a top priority. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 (HCPA) expanded the division’s ability to prosecute violence motivated by animus toward American Indians because of their race, national origin or color. Working with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the Civil Rights Division has prosecuted civil rights crimes victimizing Native Americans through sex trafficking, hate crimes and police brutality.
In United States v. Beebe, Sanford, and Hatch (PDF), three defendants pleaded guilty in June and August 2011 for their roles in a racially-motivated assault on a 22-year-old Navajo man with a developmental disability. Their indictment constituted the first time anyone had been charged with violating the HCPA.
The Civil Rights Division also enforces the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act that protects the religious exercise of persons confined to institutions covered by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, including Native American religious beliefs and practices.
In April 2011, the division filed a statement of interest in Limbaugh v. Thompson (PDF), challenging a requirement by the Alabama Department of Corrections that male inmates cut their hair short. The plaintiffs are adherents to Native American religious practices that mandate that hair be worn long, particularly during a time of mourning.
The Civil Rights Division enforces the civil rights of Native Americans to participate in all parts of the electoral process, including voter registration, running for office, and exercising the right to vote.
Last year, the division signed a memorandum of agreement (PDF) with Shannon County in South Dakota to remedy alleged violations of the Voting Rights Act and the Help America Vote Act. The agreement provides for a comprehensive Lakota Election Information Program to ensure that election information and materials are translated and disseminated orally in Lakota in a timely manner. It also ensures that limited-English proficient voters receive assistance in Lakota with registration and absentee voting, and that bilingual poll officials are hired and trained.
Further, the agreement ensures that on Election Day each polling place has an operational voting system accessible to persons with disabilities and persons with limited English proficiency, provisional ballots and written verification information, and the required signage.
The division enforces the civil rights of American Indian students to receive education free of discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, color, religion or English language proficiency.
In March of 2011, the division obtained a resolution agreement with the Arizona Department of Education in which Arizona agreed to rescind its policy of mandating the use of a one-question Home Language Survey. Instead, Arizona issued a directive that requires all school districts to use a three-question Home Language Survey, which will ensure that all potential English language learner (ELL) students are identified and assessed
In the wake of the nationwide housing and foreclosure crisis, the Civil Rights Division has made enforcement of fair housing and fair lending laws a top priority.
The division has created a dedicated fair lending unit in the Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and hired a Special Counsel for Fair Lending. The division investigates allegations of discrimination in housing sales and rentals, as well as lending and other aspects of credit by entities such as car dealerships, commercial lenders, home lenders, and credit card companies.
The Civil Rights Division also has authority to challenge places of public accommodation, such as hotels, restaurants and movie theaters, which discriminate based on race, color, religion or national origin.
The Civil Rights Division will continue that all Americans are protected and able to live a life free from discrimination.
For more information, please visit justice.gov/crt

Hate Crimes Remain Steady 2010 - FBI Report Released:

2011-11-14T09:19:00.000-08:00

Hate Crimes Remain Steady
2010 FBI Report Released

11/14/11

Intimidation…vandalism…assault…rape…murder. These are crimes by anyone’s definition. But add an element of bias against the victims—because of their race or religion, for example—and these traditional crimes become hate crimes.
And based on data from the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics report for 2010, the 6,628 hate crime incidents reported to us by our law enforcement partners stayed consistent with the 6,604 incidents reported in 2009.
Today, we’re releasing on our website the full 2010 report, which contains information about the types of biases that motivate hate crimes, the nature of the offenses, and some information about the victims and offenders. It also breaks down hate crimes by jurisdiction and includes data by state and by agency.
The hate crimes report is fairly reflective of the country—agencies that participated in the Uniform Crime Reporting Hate Crime Statistics Program effort in 2010 represented more than 285 million people, or 92.3 percent of the nation’s population, and their jurisdictions covered 49 states and the District of Columbia. Of the 14,977 agencies that submitted data, 1,949 reported that hate crime incidents had occurred in their jurisdictions.
Here are some of the report’s highlights:

Law enforcement reported 8,208 victims of hate crimes—a “victim” can be an individual, a business, an institution, or society as a whole.
Of the 6,628 hate crime incidents reported to us for 2010, nearly all (6,624) involved a single bias—47.3 percent of the single-bias incidents were motivated by race; 20 percent by religion; 19.3 by sexual orientation; 12.8 percent by an ethnicity/national origin bias; and 0.6 by physical or mental disability.
As a result of the 2009 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crime Prevention Act, the FBI is implementing changes to collect additional data for crimes motivated by a bias against a particular gender or gender identity, as well as for hate crimes committed by or directed against juveniles.
A reported 4,824 offenses were crimes against persons—intimidation accounted for 46.2 percent of these offenses; simple assault for 34.8 percent; and aggravated assault for 18.4 percent.
There were 2,861 reported offenses of crimes against property—the majority (81.1 percent) were acts of destruction/damage/vandalism.
Of the 6,008 known offenders, 58.6 were white and 18.4 percent were black.
31.4 percent of reported hate crime incidents took place in or near homes.

The FBI takes its role in investigating hate crimes very seriously—it’s the number one priority of our civil rights program. “Almost a fourth of our 2010 civil rights caseload involved crimes motivated by a particular bias against the victim,” said Eric Thomas, our civil rights chief in Washington, D.C., “and we frequently worked these cases with state and local law enforcement to ensure that justice was done—whether at the state level or at the federal level.”
This report, and the FBI’s hate crime data collection effort as a whole, would not have been possible without the support of national and state criminal justice organizations and the thousands of law enforcement agencies nationwide whose officers investigate, identify, and report hate crimes to us.
Resources:
- Hate Crime Statistics, 2010- Press release
- FBI civil rights program

DOJ - Florida Man Sentenced to 90 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography:

2011-11-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, November 4, 2011

Florida Man Sentenced to 90 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

WASHINGTON – Wesley William Brandt of Davenport, Fla., was sentenced today to 90 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for production of child pornography, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Robert E. O’Neill and Susan McCormick, Special Agent-in-Charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Brandt was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich in Tampa, Fla.

In June of 2011, Brandt, 46, pleaded guilty to three counts of production of child pornography. According to court documents and proceedings, in February 2008, Brandt, posing as a 17-year-old boy, began communicating online with a 13-year-old girl from Colorado. During these communications and through the use of other online personas, Brandt threatened and coerced the Colorado victim to produce sexually explicit photographs of herself and her 6-year-old sister. Specifically, Brandt threatened to create a public website and post sexually explicit images of the victim if she did not send him additional sexually explicit images of herself. Brandt was also introduced to the 13-year-old female cousin of the Colorado victim and similarly threatened and coerced her to produce sexually explicit photographs of herself. A subsequent search of Brandt’s home yielded computers and computer storage devices containing multiple images of child pornography.

This case was investigated by ICE’s HSI . This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Andrew M. McCormack of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacie B. Harris of the Middle District of Florida.

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FBI - Child Pornographer Behind Bars:

2011-11-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

Child Pornographer Behind Bars

11/03/2011

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Mollie Halpern: An Oklahoma man who snapped pornographic pictures of a child who knew and trusted him is now behind bars.

Aaron Green: When we asked him, “Well, why did you do that?”—he was intending to trade them for other pictures. There was absolutely no question that this was a child being exploited.

Halpern: I’m Mollie Halpern of the FBI, and this is Gotcha. During an undercover operation, a special agent in the LA Field Office caught Richard Don Hilburn sharing child pornography on the Internet. After obtaining a search warrant, the FBI and its law enforcement partners searched and seized hard drives from Hilburn’s home. Case Agent Aaron Green says FBI forensic analysis of Hilburn’s computer turned up thousands of graphic pictures and videos of infants and young boys and girls.

Green: One on particular hard drive that I personally logged, 12,155 images.

Halpern: Hilburn was sentenced to 262 months in prison. To learn more about the Bureau’s programs to protect children online, visit www.fbi.gov. This is the FBI’s closed case of the week.

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FBI - “Halloween Bandits” - Podcasts and Radio:

2011-11-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

“Halloween Bandits”

11/03/2011

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Mollie Halpern: They’re dubbed the “Halloween Bandits”—and the FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for new information leading to their arrests and convictions.

Adam Quirk: They came into the bank with Halloween masks. One the Halloween masks was a bright orange skull mask, and the other was like a ghost.

Halpern: I’m Mollie Halpern of the Bureau, and this is Wanted by the FBI. The two unidentified bank robbers burst into the U.S. Bank in Salt Lake City two days before last Halloween. Special Agent Adam Quirk…

Quirk: The first suspect pointed semi-automatic handguns directly at the teller, demanded money…

Halpern: The teller handed over the money. Meanwhile, the second bandit…

Quirk: Pointed his handgun at various customers, threatened them, was very aggressive.

Halpern: So aggressive that one of the suspects shoved an elderly woman to the floor, injuring her. They even took the cash she had just withdrawn. Then…

Quirk: They hopped a fence and that’s the last time anybody has seen them.

Halpern: If you have any information on the Halloween Bandits, call your local FBI office.

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2011-10-26T17:22:00.000-07:00

CyberTipline^® Success Stories
October 2011

Report Sexual Exploitation of Children to the CyberTipline.

FBI - Responding to Persons with Mental Illness:

2011-10-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

Responding to Persons with Mental Illness
By Abigail S. Tucker, Psy.D., Vincent B. Van Hasselt, Ph.D.,
Gregory M. Vecchi, Ph.D., and Samuel L. Browning, M.S.

While police officers may not consider providing services to persons with mental illness one of their primary functions, they respond to challenges and dangers that ordinary citizens and social service agencies are not equipped to manage. In addition to their roles as investigators and protectors, police still must keep the peace.¹ However, a review of case records illustrates the frustrating and often tragic outcome of police calls for assistance pertaining to mental illness. A closer look at these instances demonstrates that officers usually serve as an initial contact for both the criminal justice and the social service systems. Unfortunately, a disconnect exists in the process from the first police response to the next level of appropriate care due largely to a lack of proper training, resources, and collaborative community support.²
Historical Perspectives
The trend toward deinstitutionalization between the 1960s and 1980s contributed to the increased contact between police and individuals with mental illness.³ Further, the curtailment of federal mental health funding and the introduction of legal reforms have given these persons the right to live in the community without treatment.⁴ However, many of the legal reforms in the 1970s affected people with mental illness by instituting laws for involuntary treatment, as well as those for nondangerous offenses (e.g., responding verbally to auditory hallucinations in public parks, sleeping on park benches). Beginning in the 1950s, officers adhered to the professional model, which used experts from other fields (e.g., psychologists, advocacy lawyers) to bolster police reform and response to mental illness.⁵ Such goals, while highly commendable, often were not realized by police agencies due to financial constraints, a lack of realistic application, and the inability of the consulting professionals to offer useful guidelines.
Upon confrontation with individuals with mental illness, police have three main options: 1) transport them to a receiving psychiatric facility; 2) use informal verbal skills to de-escalate the situation; or 3) arrest the individual.⁶ These possible actions stem from basic concepts that guide police in all citizen encounters—the duty of the officer to protect and serve the community and the governing reforms that stipulate the power of an officer to involuntarily protect those behaving irrationally who may harm themselves or others.⁷


	Dr. Tucker is the program manager for the Justice Program at Community Reach Center in Thornton, Colorado.		Dr. Van Hasselt is a professor of psychology at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida, and an officer with the Plantation Police Department.		Mr. Browning, a former police officer, is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida.		Dr. Vecchi heads the Behavioral Science Unit at the FBI Academy.

Recently, more comprehensive and flexible approaches have arisen; however, they are in the minority. Examples include specialized police training and units, community-collaborative programs, and crisis intervention training. As widespread media coverage in the past decade has underscored, these limited options can lead to cases resulting in death or injury. Even more tragic is the increase in police-assisted suicide, defined by Police Officer Standards and Training as “an incident in which an individual engages in behavior which poses an apparent risk of serious injury or death, with the intent to precipitate the use of deadly force by law enforcement personnel toward that individual.” Research shows that a significant number of persons committing this act have some form of mental illness.⁸
Specialiazed Police Response Models
Officers often receive blame for lethal outcomes in situations involving mental illness. Four decades ago, police were described as often being pigeonholed into making medical decisions with little training and few, if any, response options.⁹ Ironically, this conclusion still proves largely relevant today.
As one possibility, law enforcement agencies can employ police-referral programs. An examination of a police-referral program that designated an intake unit at a community mental health center (CMHC) found that streamlining the process of how officers refer individuals with mental illness to hospitals bolstered the program’s effectiveness.¹⁰ Additionally, the analysis showed that a collaborative response between police and the CMHC reduced recidivism rates in referred psychiatric patients.
Police also can incorporate specialized programs. One report noted that although more than 50 percent of departments nationwide do not have such a program/response, most rate themselves as effective in managing service calls pertaining to mental illness.¹¹This contradicts research that points to the efficacy of specialized response programs.¹² In an encouraging trend, more recent efforts suggest that the number of law enforcement agencies reporting specialized training and units for dealing with persons with mental illness is increasing.¹³


The trend toward deinstitutionalization between the 1960s and 1980s contributed to the increased contact between police and individuals with mental illness.

Crisis Intervention Teams
The Memphis Model of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) provides a framework for a police-based specialized officer response now well established in the field. CIT was created in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1988 following the tragic death of a suicidal man with schizophrenia.¹⁴ Although many officers of the Memphis Police Department knew of his mental illness, the ones responding to the particular incident were unfamiliar with him. When police confronted him and demanded that he drop his knife, the young man became upset and made a sudden move toward the officers, forcing them to shoot (as they had been trained to do in such situations) and fatally wound him. Following this incident, the community demanded a response.
Unfortunately, this does not represent an isolated incident; law enforcement interactions with persons with a mental illness more frequently result in the use of force by police than incidents involving individuals who do not suffer from a mental condition.¹⁵ This can lead to injury of both the individuals and the officers. However, some of the incidents that result in the death of citizens at the hand of law enforcement personnel cannot be avoided, as in the case of individuals who commit suicide by cop. CIT offers investigators insight into these persons and, perhaps, options to pursue during their exchanges with them. The CIT model incorporates two main components: 1) a collaborative framework between the community mental health resources, recipients of those services, and local law enforcement agencies; and 2) specialized training for CIT officers in mental health issues, crisis intervention, and de-escalation.¹⁶
Collaborative Framework
Collaborations between policy makers, law enforcement, the regional division of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), persons with a mental health issue, and others from the community began to form in the initial CIT planning stages. One example of these collaborations in Memphis was the formation of a single-location mental health care facility for police drop-offs, called the Med.¹⁷ This facility enacted for police a no-refusal policy for officer referrals and streamlined the intake process to allow them to admit someone with mental illness and get back on patrol within about 30 minutes.


	© iStockphoto.com

Officer Training
In addition to collaborations and policy changes, certain officers are selected or volunteer to receive specialized training as part of the 40-hour CIT training program. The CIT curriculum includes recognition and understanding of the signs/symptoms of mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia, depression, personality disorders); pharmacological interventions and their side effects; crisis intervention and de-escalation skills; and knowledge of the user-friendly mental health resources available to individuals. In addition, role playing gives officers opportunities to practice crisis situations involving persons with mental illness. Feedback and reinforcement are provided concerning the officers’ verbal and nonverbal behaviors in these scenarios.
Mental health professionals from the community teach the majority of the course components; patients and their families also participate in educating the officers on relevant mental health challenges and issues to add perspective. Police learn how to recognize severe mental illness and how these different disorders affect the individuals. At the end of the course, officers graduate with CIT certification and receive a pin to wear on their uniforms, identifying them as CIT officers. This allows persons with mental illness in crisis to recognize CIT officers and also serves as a source of pride for the law enforcement professionals.
Research Support
Experts evaluated the Memphis CIT model by comparing perceived preparedness, quality of response to persons with mental illness, diversion from jail, officer time spent on these calls, and community safety and found empirical support for the effectiveness of this approach.¹⁸ Additional researchers expanded on this work by using arrest rates and feedback from referral sources.¹⁹Their results provided further support for the Memphis CIT model with findings of higher response rates and fewer arrests. Also, it appears that an integral component of CIT training is the use of crisis intervention and active listening skills (e.g., paraphrasing, reflecting emotions, asking open-ended questions), which are critical for de-escalating crisis situations in general and situations involving individuals with mental illness in particular.²⁰ Apparently, psychological evaluation concerning mental health issues, as well as crisis intervention skills training, both comprise important aspects of CIT.
Barriers and Concerns
One barrier in the development of police-based specialized officer response is the definition of training in the field of law enforcement. Basic officer training will prove inadequate in addressing this growing and volatile problem without ongoing review and skill maintenance. Researchers note the common misperception that all police officers have the same mandated training and available resources.²¹ Other experts contend that for specialized response programs to work effectively, training is a crucial element. Law enforcement training is most effective when it includes consultation with mental health professionals and other administrative and social service systems.²²
The mental health care system itself appears to be another barrier to policing progress involving mental health situations. Social service agencies often refuse to admit intoxicated or psychotic persons referred by police. In addition, the “revolving door” phenomenon of recidivism supports the reality of overworked and underpaid staff in receiving facilities, such as hospitals and community mental health centers. Specifically, many treatment facilities require police custody in the waiting area for individuals transported for a mental disturbance. Also, no systematic and hierarchical structure exists that links first responders (e.g., police, EMS) with the appropriate level of care in the mental health system (e.g., medical versus psychiatric hospitals, social service shelters versus drug rehabilitation centers).
Findings
Overall, research supports the use of a specialized law enforcement response to address the needs of persons with mental illness. In particular, the Memphis CIT model is functional, generally accepted by police departments, and, most important, effective.²³


…research supports the use of a specialized law enforcement response to address the needs of persons with mental illness.

The utility of such programs is enhanced by the use of collaborative drop-off sites. These allow for greater flexibility, provide ease and speed in application, and serve as a more economical option. However, a few important guidelines can make a substantial difference in effectiveness. For example, researchers recommended police-friendly procedures that include a no-refusal policy, an intake process with streamlined paperwork, and consistent procedural steps.²⁴
Conclusion
Police officers maintain and enforce public order. Their role as both first responders and peacekeepers remains a challenge in many ways. The law enforcement response to mental disturbance calls with ethical, practical, and effective strategies requires interagency collaboration. Numerous examples attest to the efficacy of police-based interventions and collaborative policies and procedures. In particular, current research supports the use of a specialized law enforcement response to meet the needs and demands of persons with mental illness while ensuring their safety and dignity.
Endnotes
¹ G.W. Cordner, “A Community Policing Approach to Persons with Mental Illness,” Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 28 (2000): 326-331.
² A.S. Tucker, V.B. Van Hasselt, and S.A. Russell, “Law Enforcement Response to the Mentally Ill: An Evaluative Review,” Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention 8 (2008): 236-250.
³ M. Zdanowicz, “A Sheriff’s Role in Arresting the Mental Illness Crisis,” Sheriff 53 (2001): 2-4.
⁴ L.A. Teplin, “Keeping the Peace: Police Discretion and Mentally Ill Persons,” National Institute of Justice Journal 244 ^{(2000): 8-15.
5} Cordner.
⁶ Teplin.
⁷ Ibid.
⁸ H.R. Hutson, D. Anglin, J. Yarbrough, K. Hardaway, M. Russell, J. Strote,
M. Canter, and B. Blum, “Suicide by Cop,” Annals of Emergency Medicine 32 (1998): 665-669; V.B. Lord, “Law Enforcement-Assisted Suicide,” Criminal Justice and Behavior 27 (2000): 401-419; and A.J Pinizotto, E.F Davis, and C.E. Miller, “Suicide by Cop: Defining a Devastating Dilemma,” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, February 2005, 8-20.
⁹ A.R. Matthews, Jr., “Observations on Police Policy and Procedures for Emergency Detention of the Mentally Ill,” The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology and Police Science 61 (1970): 283-295.
¹⁰ L.A. Teplin and E.P. Sheridan, “Police-Referred Psychiatric Emergencies: Advantages of Community Treatment,” Journal of Community Psychology 9
(1981): 140-147.
¹¹ M.W. Deane, H.J. Steadman,
R. Borum, B.M. Veysey, and J.P. Morrisey, “Emerging Partnerships Between Mental Health and Law Enforcement,” Psychiatric Services 50 (1999): 99-101.
¹² Teplin and Sheridan; R. Borum, M.W. Deane, H.J. Steadman, and J. Morrissey, “Police Perspectives on Responding to Mentally Ill People in Crisis: Perceptions of Program Effectiveness,” Behavioral Sciences and the Law 16 (1998): 393-405; T.M. Green, “Police as Frontline Mental Health Workers: The Decision to Arrest or Refer to Mental Health Agencies,” International Journal of Law and Psychiatry 20 (1997): 469-486; and H.J. Steadman, M.W. Deane, R. Borum, and J.P. Morrissey, “Comparing Outcomes of Major Models of Police Responses to Mental Health Emergencies,” Psychiatric Services 51 (2000): 645-649.
¹³ J. Hails and R. Borum, “Police Training and Specialized Approaches to Respond to People with Mental Illness,” Crime and Delinquency 49 (2003): 52-62.
¹⁴ B. Vickers, U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, “Memphis, Tennessee, Police Department’s Crisis Intervention Team,” Bulletin from the Field: Practitioner Perspectives, http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/bja/182501.pdf (accessed August 20, 2010).
¹⁵ R.S. Engel and E. Silver, “Policing Mentally Disordered Suspects: A Reexamination of the Criminalization Hypothesis,” Criminology 39 (2001): 225-253.
¹⁶ R. Dupont and S. Cochran, “Police Response to Mental Health Emergencies: Barriers to Change,” Journal of American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law 28 (2000): 338-344; and Vickers.
¹⁷ Vickers.
¹⁸ Borum, Deane, Steadman, Morrissey, “Police Perspectives on Responding to Mentally Ill People in Crisis.”
¹⁹ Steadman, Deane, Borum, and Morrissey, “Comparing Outcomes of Major Models of Police Responses to Mental Health Emergencies.”
²⁰ G.M. Vecchi, V.B. Van Hasselt, and S.J. Romano, “Crisis (Hostage) Negotiation: Current Strategies and Issues in High Risk Conflict Resolution,” Aggression and Violent Behavior: A Review Journal 10 (2005): 533-551.
²¹ DuPont and Cochran.
²² H.J. Steadman, K.A. Stainbrook, P. Griffin, J. Draine, R. DuPont, and
C. Horey, “A Specialized Crisis Response Site as a Core Element of Police-Based Diversion Programs,” Psychiatric Services 52 (2001):
219-222.
²³Dupont and Cochran.
²⁴ Steadman, Stainbrook, Griffin, Draine, DuPont, and Horey.

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A Historic Settlement with the Osage Tribe of Oklahoma:

2011-10-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

A Historic Settlement with the Osage Tribe of Oklahoma:

October 21st, 2011 Posted by Tracy Russo

The following post appears courtesy of Ignacia Moreno, the Assistant Attorney General Environment and Natural Resources Division at the U.S. Department of Justice and Hilary Tompkins, the Solicitor of the U.S. Department of Interior

Today, we joined Osage Tribe Principal Chief John Red Eagle, other tribal leaders, and our colleagues at the Treasury Department, in a ceremony to commemorate a historic settlement marking the end of a long-running lawsuit by the Osage Tribe of Oklahoma regarding claims involving the United States’ accounting and management of the tribe’s trust funds and non-monetary trust assets.

Reaching a final settlement with the Osage Tribe on its trust accounting and trust mismanagement claims has been a priority for the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior.
Attorney General Holder and Secretary Salazar have been committed to resolving pending tribal trust accounting and trust mismanagement cases, in a fair and equitable manner and without protracted litigation, so that the United States and the tribes can jointly undertake reconciliation and empowerment for American Indian nations.

The settlement between the Osage Tribe and the United States is the product of months of dedicated efforts by the parties to achieve a fair and just resolution of the tribe’s trust claims. The settlement is fundamental to the government-to-government relationship between the United States and the tribe.
The agreement marks a new beginning – one of just reconciliation, better communication between the Interior Department and the tribe, and strengthened management by Interior of tribal trust funds and trust resources.
The negotiated agreement, which was executed on Oct. 14, 2011, will end litigation regarding Interior’s accounting and management of the tribe’s trust accounts, trust lands, and other natural resources, including the tribe’s mineral estate.

The United States will pay the tribe $380 million in compensation for the tribe’s claims of historical losses to its trust funds and interest income as a result of the government’s management of trust assets. The parties will implement measures that will lead to strengthened management of the tribe’s trust assets and improved communications between Interior and the tribe.
These measures include procedures for delivery of periodic statements of account, annual audit information, and information relating to the management of the mineral estate to the tribe. Importantly, the agreement also provides dispute resolution provisions to reduce the likelihood of future litigation.

The United States looks forward to its continuing work with the Osage Tribe in a spirit of true partnership and mutual respect to build a stronger trust relationship.

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Ten Things Parents Can Do to Make Halloween Safer:

2011-10-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

The Mentalist" Actor Tim Kang Tells Parents How They Can Build Safety into Halloween This Year:

Halloween is one of the most exciting times of the year for children, but sometimes the most hectic for parents. Nearly 94 percent of children between the ages of four and twelve participate in Halloween activities each year. Tim Kang, actor from the hit CBS show The Mentalist has partnered with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help educate parents about what they should be telling their children to keep them safe. Parents need to take a moment to consider basic safety precautions that will make Halloween a safer night of fun.

CHOOSE bright, flame-retardant costumes or add reflective tape to costumes and candy bags so children are easily seen in the dark. In addition, carry a glow stick or flashlight.
PLAN a trick-or-treating route in familiar neighborhoods with well-lit streets. Avoid unfamiliar neighborhoods, streets that are isolated, or homes that are poorly lit inside or outside.
NEVER send young children out alone. They should always be accompanied by a parent or another trusted adult. Older children should always travel in groups.
ALWAYS walk younger children to the door to receive treats and don’t let children enter a home unless you are with them.
BE SURE children do not approach any vehicle, occupied or not, unless you are with them.
DISCUSS basic pedestrian safety rules that children should use when walking to and from houses.
CONSIDER organizing a home or community party as an alternative to “trick-or-treating.”
MAKE sure children know their home phone number and address in case you get separated. Teach children how to call 911 in an emergency.
TEACH children to say “NO!” or “this is not my mother/father” in a loud voice if someone tries to get them to go somewhere, accept anything other than a treat, or leave with them. And teach them that they should make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming and resisting.
REMIND children to remain alert and report suspicious incidents to parents and/or law enforcement.

“Child safety is vital year round, but Halloween is an especially important time for parents and children to pay extra attention to their surroundings and not let their guard down,” said actor Tim Kang a spokeperson for NCMEC. “Parents need to exercise a few basic safety precautions to help ensure that Halloween is both fun and safe.”

Download the Halloween Safety Flyer
English • Spanish

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Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship by Paul C. Vitz

2011-10-18T05:17:00.000-07:00

Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship

By: Johnny Kicklighter

It seems everyone you meet these days is a self-proclaimed psychologist. From radio talk shows, television interviews, romance novels, weekly magazines, to cliques at work; everybody has an opinion on the latest "mental illness." I was first introduced to practical psychology when I joined the United States Air Force in 1970. It was expected that Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) would become counselors to their subordinates. Profession military education devoted entire chapters and lectures on non-directive or eclectic counseling techniques. Maslow's hierarchy of needs was drilled into our heads. We were sternly warned to avoid any mention of religion, but instead to make ample use of psychological techniques.

Paul Vitz in his book "Psychology as Religion" attempts to expose psychology for what it really is, i.e., religion. He begins by giving the reader a brief biography on the fathers of the modern psychology movement along with some of their theories. The opening chapter was dry reading but I suppose necessary as a historical backdrop. My interest peaked when I immediately recognized Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow since I was forced to study them for 26 years while in the military. Vitz also discusses Carl Jung, Erich Fromn, and Rollo May as being significant contributors to the movement.

Vitz quickly transitions into explaining the concept of self-esteem which he promotes as the center of the entire selfism movement. This became important to me as it seems no matter where you turn, a lack of or poor self-esteem appears to be the cause of every ill known to mankind. For a movement to be so widespread to the point where psychology has been woven into the gospel message, Vitz says that the self-esteem concept has "no clear intellectual origins." That's a surprising claim considering the impact selfism has had on academia and the practice of counseling.

Vitz states that self-esteem should be understood as an emotional response and not a cause. He says it is a reaction to what we have done and what others have done to us. High self-esteem is a desirable feeling to have (like happiness), but the feeling itself isn't the cause of anything. In trying to obtain a feeling of self-esteem, the only successful way is to do good to others or accomplish something. In so doing, you'll get all the self-esteem you want. However, the downside is people begin to pursue happiness as a far greater goal than the goal of obtaining personal holiness.

Not only is selfism a self-defeating goal for the Christian, Vitz goes on to make the case that it is also simply bad science and a warped philosophy. The little clinical evidence that does exist is mostly based on empirical observations and doesn't stand the test of solid scientific problem solving. He exposes flaws in each step of the process, from stating the problem, forming and testing the hypothesis, to testing the conclusion. He also identifies several philosophical contradictions and in some cases, actual misrepresentations. The spread of this bad science and faulty philosophy is believed by the author to have contributed to the destruction of families. Additionally, the entire recovery group mentality convinces the person with "low self-esteem" that their ills are due to trauma inflicted on them in the past. Recovery group therapy strokes the patient with self-pity thereby convincing the clients are victims. Once labeled, the "victim" now assumes the attitude of victimhood.

Values clarification has become the model taught in schools and begins with the assumption that man is naturally good. Since the developers of values clarification reject moral teachings, Vitz claims that if responsible adults, i.e., teachers, don't promote good values then someone else will. Providing a permissive environment supposedly nourishes the child by granting satisfaction for the child's desires and interests. However, this philosophy is bankrupt because kids will assume the values of irresponsible sources in lieu of responsible ones. This combined with the aforementioned teachings has produced a society of victims where everyone is pointing to blame someone else for their misfortunes.

Vitz takes three chapters to present a Christian analysis and criticism of humanistic self-theories. He gives the credit to our educational system for the transformation of our society into a culture of pure selfism. He notes that the New Age movement has many founders, but Abraham Maslow's theories have been the most influential. Vitz argues his Christian critique within a historical framework and the impact it has had on the evolution of our society. Unfortunately he gives scant attention to biblical references for his position, but does show how the selfism heresy affects teachings on depression, idolatry, and suffering. He closes his work with the observation, "never have so many people been so self-conscious, so aware of the self as something to be expressed...., the self has become an object to itself." (I think this may make the case that self-esteem has become a new barometric indicator to the question everyone asks, "How are you doing today?")

Overall, Vitz's book uses a cerebral approach in attempting to prove that self-worship is simply a religion. Biblical counselors looking for material to help their counselees break free of a selfish worldview of life will be disappointed. Then again, Vitz didn't write his book for that purpose. Moreover, he provides a wealth of information and a refreshing argument against those who say, "You can't teach religion in public schools." This leaves the reader with an irony: it's not a question of should we or should we not teach religion in public schools, but instead, what religion will we teach; selfism or Christianity?

Author Bio

Johnny Kicklighter is a counselor at Gateway Biblical Counseling & Training Center, a ministry of www.ebiblechurch.net, Edgemont Bible Church.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

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Voice of the Martyrs - International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP)

2011-10-15T07:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Friend,

When our staff travels to meet with persecuted Christians in restricted and hostile nations, the first request they hear is always the same. Our persecuted brothers and sisters don't ask us to break them out of prison, help them overthrow their governments or help them flee their countries.

What they ask is that we PRAY FOR THEM.

Will you answer their request? Please join in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) this Nov. 13. To assist you and your church in praying for persecuted Christians, The Voice of the Martyrs has prepared a special IDOP Church Resource Kit that includes:

A DVD featuring the dramatic story of Padina, a woman in Iran whose life was radically changed by Jesus
25 brochures that feature Padina's story and include a free book or DVD offer
10 Special Issue VOM newsletters, along with the global prayer map
An IDOP lesson plan for children
A sheet of eight prayer cards (more can be ordered)

CLICK HERE to order your IDOP Church Resource Kit for only $9.

John Wesley said, “Prayer is where the action is.” And so we invite you to take action on behalf of our persecuted family by joining this year's IDOP on Nov. 13.

ORDER YOUR IDOP CHURCH RESOURCE KIT TODAY.

Praying for the persecuted church,

Tom White

Executive Director

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The National Summit on Protecting Children:

2011-10-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the National Summit on Protecting Children from Sexual Exploitation

National Harbor, Md. ~ Friday, October 14, 2011

Remarks as prepared for delivery:

Thank you, Francey [Hakes] – for your kind words, for your work in bringing us all together this afternoon, and – of course – for your outstanding leadership in implementing the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction.

It’s a privilege to join Francey in welcoming all of our panelists and participants. I’m encouraged to see so many longtime allies and new partners in one place – eager to share best practices and fresh ideas, to think creatively and act collaboratively, and – ultimately – to take our efforts to prevent and reduce child exploitation to a new level.

Thank you all for taking part in today’s discussions – and for your contributions in advancing one of the Justice Department’s top priorities: protecting the safety, rights, and best interests of our children.

This work – of reaching out to children in need and at risk, of supporting victims, and of safeguarding our young people from exploitation, abuse, trafficking, sexual violence, and online threats – has never been more urgent. At every level of the Justice Department, it is – and it will remain – a top priority.

This commitment is yielding promising results. In recent years, investigations and prosecutions of child exploitation crimes have increased dramatically. And we’re working with law enforcement and government agencies – as well as nonprofit and advocacy organizations, and a variety of international partners – like never before. In rural areas, inner cities, tribal communities, and online – we’ve brought a record number of offenders to justice. We’ve launched a new, nationwide operation targeting the top 500 most dangerous, non-compliant sex offenders. And, just this summer, we announced the largest prosecution in history of individuals who participated in an online child exploitation enterprise.

But, unfortunately – at the same time – we’ve also seen an historic rise in the distribution of child pornography, in the number of images being shared online, and in the level of violence associated with child exploitation and sexual abuse crimes. Tragically, the only place we’ve seen a decrease is in the age of victims.

This is unconscionable – and it is unacceptable. Such an extraordinary challenge demands our most aggressive, innovative, and comprehensive possible response.

That’s what today’s summit is all about – expanding our network of partners, broadening our reach and expertise, and improving our ability to keep our children safe from harm. It’s also about keeping the promise that’s laid out in the National Strategy that the Justice Department submitted to Congress last year.

In developing this Strategy, we solicited ideas and sought expertise from advocates, victims, law enforcement officers, policymakers, and partners at every level of government and across the international community. Many of these partners are here today, and I’m grateful for their ongoing engagement. With their help, we created a Strategy that provided a comprehensive assessment of the threats at hand, as well as the effectiveness of current efforts to combat child exploitation and abuse. It also provided information on areas where we needed to act more aggressively – and more collaboratively.

Over the last year, this Strategy has provided a roadmap for our work – helping us to fuse cutting-edge technologies with traditional methods of law enforcement and recovery; to streamline our education, prevention and prosecution activities; to improve information sharing and cooperation; and to leverage limited resources.

Without question, I am proud of what’s been accomplished. But I am not satisfied. I recognize that we have more to do – and that we cannot do it alone.

To more effectively prevent and combat child exploitation and abuse, we need greater engagement – and not just from our traditional law enforcement, advocacy, and government partners. We need the help of behavioral experts, security and technology industry leaders, and other experts and specialists who can inform and strengthen our work.

That’s why the National Strategy demands that we keep expanding our network of partners. And it’s why the Justice Department will continue to call on those who share our concerns – as well as our commitment to progress – to join in our efforts to protect the children who need us most.

As we begin today’s discussions, not only do I welcome your involvement, I am counting on it. And I expect that your diverse perspectives – and specific recommendations – will help to guide and enhance the Department’s work in the days ahead.

Today, together, we are increasing our odds in the fight to protect our kids. We’re also raising awareness about the problem of child exploitation. And by bringing together so many different partners, we’re signaling that – when it comes to keeping our children from harm – a new era of collaboration has begun.

Thank you all for being part of this conversation and this work. Your presence here today gives me great hope about what we can accomplish together. And I look forward to hearing from – and working with – you all.

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How to Ensure Online Safety for Your Kids:

2011-10-14T07:22:00.000-07:00

How to Ensure Online Safety for Your Kids

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Your teenagers might squander lots of time on Social Networking Sites or/and virtual world sites. Parental Controls software can readily aid parents to ensure Social Networking Websites security for teens. However, do you know what your teens are up to on Twitter? Social Networking Sites are becoming stylish. These sites are fabulous sites for teenagers to communicate with relatives using computers and have transformed the way of communication.

Steps

Know more about the Internet and the SNS.
Talk to your kids about the dangers and risks.
- Many a time, kids disclose too much classified information, talk about improper topics that may get them into trouble, or otherwise put themselves in danger by what they surf online. Parental Controls program is supplied to related parents to deal with problems relating to Social Networking Websites and community websites. Once you possess the basics of [Parental Monitoring][1] application, you'll be better able to aid your teens to stay harmonious when they communicate online.
Use anti-virus and parental control software to ensure online safety for your kids.
- Tweens give out too much secret information such as home address, telephone number, which could give rise to critical issues - susceptibility to Internet thefts and violence of privacy. Parental Monitoring software is supplied to facilitate parents to review teens' Internet activity and select what couldn't be viewed by your teens.
Watch for danger signs. Warnings that indicate your teenagers can be at risk online.
- 1. Spend plenty of time online, especially at night
- 2. Reluctant to leave the room
- 3. Isolate from friends and family members
- 4. Improper links found on the computer
- 5. Receive mails from strangers
- 6. Turn the computer monitor off quickly when parent enters the room
Minimize the risk to them as much as possible.
1. Consider talking with your kids, let them know what they couldn't browse on the Internet, and potential risks. Create your own SNS account and share the online experience with your kids and be their guide.
2. Make some rules on their network activity, amount of time spending on the Internet. And tell them not to use real information such as photo, name and address in personal profile.
3. Use Parental Control Monitoring programme to record teens' Internet activity.
4. Routinely review your teens' SNS profile, and clean up sensitive information. Check their friend lists and clean up suspected pals.
Watch for signs of your children being bullied. If you see that they are, do the following:
- Once your children were bullied, take copies as evidences for future law enforcement use using parental monitoring program, and report to the relevant departments, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Police Department.
Purchase authentic safety and parental monitoring application to secure your computer against computer pedophiles, ensuring cyber safety for your teenagers and the whole family.
Come up with a Proposal for your teenagers
1. Do not disclose true info such as name, family address
2. Tell your parents at once if you were bullied by Network predators
3. Use privacy settings of Social Networking Websites, think carefully before accept a person as a friend
4. Do not click any weird hypertext links which may lead to account theft and etc
5. Do not chitchat with any one with cam without your parents' guide
Keep yourself educated. Parents ought to maintain themselves up-to-date on the news of SNS by learning online educational sites, and inform teens about appropriate online usage, if your teens are not that careful, they may become victims of infringement of privacy, and predator. And teens have to be got informed of the parental control monitoring if needed.

Related wikiHows

Sources and Citations

Parental control software http://any-parental-control.com/feature.html
FBI — Parent Guide to Internet Safety http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/parent-guide

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Ensure Online Safety for Your Kids. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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Department of Justice Announces the Defending Childhood Task Force:

2011-10-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Department of Justice Announces the Defending Childhood Task Force

Experts Will Examine and Address the Issue of Children Exposed to Violence:

WASHINGTON – Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli today announced the establishment of the Attorney General’s National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence. The task force is part of the Attorney General’s Defending Childhood initiative, a project arising from the need to respond to the epidemic levels of exposure to violence faced by our nation’s children.

“Our vision of justice must start with preventing crime before it happens, protecting our children, and ending cycles of violence and victimization. Every young person deserves the opportunity to grow and develop free from fear of violence,” said Associate Attorney General Perrelli. “The task force will develop knowledge and spread awareness about the pervasive problem of children’s exposure to violence – this will ultimately improve our homes, cities, towns and communities.”

Following the release of the compelling findings of the first National Survey on Children Exposed to Violence (2009), Attorney General Eric Holder launched the Defending Childhood initiative in September 2010. The goals of the initiative are to prevent children’s exposure to violence as victims and witnesses, reduce the negative effects experienced by children exposed to violence, and develop knowledge about and increase awareness of this issue.

The Defending Childhood Task Force is composed of 14 leading experts from diverse fields and perspectives, including practitioners, child and family advocates, academic experts and licensed clinicians. Joe Torre, Major League Baseball Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, founder of the Joe Torre Safe at Home® Foundation, and a witness to domestic violence as a child himself, will serve as the co-chair of the task force.

Over the course of the year, the Defending Childhood Task Force will conduct four public hearings around the country to learn from practitioners, policymakers, academics and community members about the extent and nature of the problem of children’s exposure to violence in the United States, both as victims and as witnesses. The task force will also identify promising practices, programming and community strategies used to prevent and respond to children’s exposure to violence.

Hearings will take place in Baltimore; Albuquerque, N.M.; Miami; and Detroit. The first hearing of the task force will be held in Baltimore on Nov. 29, and 30, 2011, at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

The Defending Childhood Task Force will issue a final report to the attorney general presenting its findings and comprehensive policy recommendations. The report will serve as a blueprint for preventing children’s exposure to violence and for mitigating the negative effects experienced by children exposed to violence across the United States.

The members of the task force include the following:

Co-chair: Joe Torre, Chairman of the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation. Mr. Torre, Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations and former manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, created his foundation to educate students, parents, teachers and school faculty about the effects of domestic violence.

Father Gregory Boyle, S.J., Founder of Homeboy Industries. Fr. Boyle was ordained as a Jesuit priest in 1984 and serves as a member of the National Gang Center Advisory Board.

Sharon W. Cooper, M.D., CEO of Developmental & Forensic Pediatrics, P.A. Dr. Cooper serves as a consultant and board member of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Sarah Deer, Citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma. Professor Deer is an assistant professor at William Mitchell College of Law and her scholarship focuses on the intersection of tribal law and victims’ rights.

Deanne Tilton Durfee, Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect. Ms. Tilton Durfee also serves as chairperson of the National Center on Child Fatality Review.

Thea James, M.D., Director of the Boston Medical Center Massachusetts Violence Intervention Advocacy Program. Dr. James is assistant professor of emergency medicine at Boston Medical Center/Boston University School of Medicine.

Kevin Jennings, CEO of Be the Change. Mr. Jennings founded the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).

Alicia Lieberman, Ph.D., Director of the Early Trauma Treatment Network. Dr. Lieberman is Irving B. Harris Endowed Chair of Infant Mental Health at UCSF Department of Psychiatry and director of the Child Trauma Research Program, San Francisco General Hospital.

Robert Listenbee, J.D., Chief of the Juvenile Unit of the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Mr. Listenbee also serves as a member of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Robert Macy, Ph.D., Founder, Director, and President of the International Center for Disaster Resilience–Boston. Dr. Macy is also the founder and executive director of the Boston Children’s Foundation and serves as co-director of the Division of Disaster Resilience at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Steven Marans, Ph.D., Director of the National Center for Children Exposed to Violence. Dr. Marans is Professor of Child Psychiatry, Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, and also serves as director of the Childhood Violent Trauma Center at Yale University.

Jim McDonnell, Chief of Police, Long Beach Police Department, California. Chief McDonnell teaches public policy issues at University of California, Los Angeles, and served with the Los Angeles Police Department for 28 years.

Georgina Mendoza, J.D., Senior Deputy Attorney and Community Safety Director for the City of Salinas, Calif. Ms. Mendoza has been involved in the California Cities Gang Prevention Network for the past four years and serves as the Salinas lead in the White House’s National Forum on Youth Violence.

Retired Major General Antonio Taguba, President of TDLS Consulting, LLC, and Chairman of Pan Pacific American Leaders and Mentors (PPALM). General Taguba served 34 years on active duty, including serving as Deputy Commanding General for Support, Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC)/ARCENT/Third U.S. Army, forward deployed to Kuwait and Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

For more information about Attorney General Holder’s Defending Childhood initiative, the Defending Childhood Task Force, and the upcoming hearings, please visit www.justice.gov/defendingchildhood.

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NCMEC & Law Enforcement:

2011-10-13T04:52:00.000-07:00

Resources for Law Enforcement

Forgiveness - Breaking the Cycle of Resentment:

2011-10-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

Forgiveness - Breaking the Cycle of Resentment

By: Lori Radun, CEC

Over 20 years ago, my mother disowned me for a period of 10 years of my life. It wasn't something I could ever imagine doing to one of my children, but it happened. It was one of the most painful times of my life. I was angry at her. I got married and gave birth to my first child and she wasn't there. I missed her and longed for a mother-daughter relationship. I cried a lot. Today my mother and I have a beautiful relationship and I am so grateful for our reconciliation. As a matter of fact, her birthday card to me this year said, "You are the best daughter". Did this relationship we have today happen overnight? The answer is no. At the core of our relationship today is forgiveness.

What is forgiveness?

"Forgiveness is something virtually all Americans aspire to - 94% surveyed in a nationwide Gallup poll said it was important to forgive-in the same survey; only 48% said they usually tried to forgive others."

I don't think a single person can escape life without experiencing hurt by another person. Maybe the hurt is angry words spoken during an argument or a friend who surprises you with betrayal. Perhaps the pain comes from emotional neglect, infidelity, divorce or even sexual and physical abuse. Sometimes the hurt is a one time event. Other times the pain continues for a long time.

Forgiveness is a necessary step to healing from pain. It is a choice to extend mercy to the person who hurt you. Sometimes forgiveness allows you to move forward with the other person and experience a new relationship. Other times, reconciliation is not possible. In this case, forgiveness is more for you and your own personal growth.

Why forgive?

First and foremost, God commands us to forgive. In Mark 11:25-26, it says "And when you stand in praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your sins."

You might be saying, "But you don't understand what's been done to me." And you're right; I don't know all the hurts you've endured. However, I know from experience that it pays to forgive. Forgiveness is a sign of strength - not weakness. It is the strong who can put aside the past and let go of anger and resentment. My mom comes from a large family, with seven brothers and sisters. There has been a lot of sibling rivalry, and I'm always amazed at the amount of resentment that still remains in the family today.

Anger and resentment drains your energy, and keeps you imprisoned by your past. By choosing to let go of your hurt and anger, you give yourself the freedom to fully experience joy in life. Anger builds inside us, so by letting go, you improve your ability to control your anger. We've all seen the person who blows up at the smallest incident. It is the accumulation of built up anger that is unreleased that causes this explosion. So many diseases, like heart disease and cancer, can be triggered by unresolved resentment. By choosing to forgive, you can dramatically improve your emotional and physical health.

Without forgiveness, you cannot move forward in your own personal and relational growth.

What forgiveness is not?

Forgiveness does not mean you allow people to treat you badly. It does not mean you ignore the wrongdoings. It means you accept that the person has made a mistake, and you are choosing to grant them mercy. When you forgive someone, you won't necessarily forget the hurt. I will always remember the pain I felt when my mom disowned me, but I do not dwell on it, and I do not let it interfere with the quality of our relationship today. I have allowed myself to heal and move on. Forgiveness does not mean you are condoning or excusing the person's behavior. And it doesn't mean you have to trust that person again. Some acts, like physical and sexual abuse, require that you limit your trust or at least test the trust with the person who hurt you. Remember, forgiveness is more for you than the other person.

The process of forgiving

So you've thought about it and you're ready to forgive. You're tired of holding on to old pain and you've decided it's time to let go and move on. What do you do? First, you must face and release the anger that you feel. On the surface of the hurt is anger and you need to break away that layer first. Underneath the anger is the pain and hurt that you must grieve. There are many ways to release anger and hurt. You can talk about it with trusted people. You can spend time journaling. You can pray about it and ask God to take away that pain and resentment. You can express your feelings to the person who hurt you, provided that it's possible to have a healthy conversation where both you and the other person speak and listen in respectful ways.

One of the best and most cleansing ways to release your negative feelings is to write a letter to your perpetrator. In this letter, you pour out every emotion you feel. You tell them everything that hurt you and everything they did to make you angry. Do not hold anything back. Allow yourself to really feel the anger and cry the tears by reading it out loud to yourself. When you are done, burn or bury the letter as a symbol that you are ready to move on. DO NOT give the letter to the person. This letter is for you and you only.

After processing all your emotions, you are ready to make the choice to forgive. It is a choice that requires compassion, understanding and an open and loving heart. When my mother and I first reconciled, we talked about our feelings. Sometimes we even fought because the pain was still fresh. But we listened to one another and we tried to get inside each other's shoes. It wasn't easy, but today, even though I don't agree with some of my mother's beliefs, I have compassion and understanding for who she is and why she made the choice she did. I love her regardless of our differences.

Each of us makes mistakes in life. At one time or another (probably more than one time), we will hurt another person. Maybe it will be an accident, or perhaps it will be a purposeful reaction to someone hurting you. When this does happen, do you want to be forgiven? Do you want another chance to make amends? Most people don't mean to hurt us - they are dealing with their own pain and unresolved resentment. It's unfortunate that we take it out on our loved ones, but until we break the cycle, it will continue to happen.

Are you ready to break the cycle and do your part to forgive?

Author Bio

Lori Radun, CEC is a certified life coach, speaker and author for moms. To receive her FREE newsletter and the special report, "155 Things Moms Can Do to Raise Great Children", visit her website at www.true2youlifecoaching.com

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"Psalm 42" - Shift Worship Movie Short:

2011-10-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

Sometimes praising God is a willful declaration in the midst of despair. Built on the framework of Psalm 42, this worship video echoes the writer's thirst for God in this wilderness as well as his refusal to wait for relief to worship his Savior.

Psalm 42

¹As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
²My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
³My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
⁴When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
⁵Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
⁶O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.
⁷Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.
⁸Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.
⁹I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
¹⁰As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?
¹¹Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Courtesy of http://ShiftWorship.Com
YouTube Video

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FBI - 18 Child Porn Websites Shut Down

2011-10-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

Result of Joint U.S.-China Cooperation

10/11/11

In another example of the increasingly international nature of crime, a man was recently indicted on federal charges of running 18 Chinese-language child pornography websites out of his apartment in Flushing, New York. The websites were being advertised to Chinese-speaking individuals in China, in the U.S., and other countries.
This case serves as an example of something else as well: the increasingly international nature of law enforcement. While the FBI investigated this case in the U.S., we received what U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York called “extensive cooperation and assistance” from the Chinese Ministry of Public Security.
How it all started. In late 2010, the FBI—through our legal attaché office in Beijing—received information from Chinese officials about their investigation of a large-scale child pornography website housed on U.S. servers. And one of their main suspects, a Chinese-born man, was living in New York. So our New York office opened an investigation under our Innocent Images National Initiative and instituted an undercover operation.
The investigation. While the main webpage advertised the various categories of pornographic pictures that were available, our undercover agents—with the help of an FBI Chinese language specialist—discovered that in order to actually view, post, or download the pornography, you had to pay a membership fee ($25 quarterly, $50 annually, and $100 for a “lifetime” membership). The website conveniently accepted all payment types—credit cards, wire and bank transfers, online payments, and even cash that could be mailed to what turned out to be a money transfer office in New York. After becoming “members,” the agents saw hundreds of disturbing pictures and videos of children of all different nationalities engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Through our investigative efforts, we were able to determine that the site—and its related online payment system—resided on the servers of a web hosting company in Dallas and that the subscriber of the website domain lived in Flushing. We also traced two e-mail accounts—one featured on the site and the other affiliated with the website domain—back to the same individual. Through billing information, we learned that the man had made about $20,000 per month from his subscribers. We believe he had been operating the site since at least 2007.
After the arrest, we identified 17 additional Chinese-language child pornography websites he allegedly maintained and operated. We also seized two servers in Dallas where those sites were hosted. All 18 websites have been shut down.
During the course of the operation, FBI and Chinese investigators and prosecutors met to discuss the case and to talk about future cooperation on similar cases.
One concrete outcome of this partnership? The Ministry of Public Security sent its first Chinese officer to join the FBI’s Innocent Images International Task Force and receive specialized training on such topics as legal principals, emerging trends and technologies, and investigative techniques. Once the fall 2011 training session is completed, the task force will number 100 officers in 43 countries. Since its launch in 2004, the task force has built an international network of Internet child sexual exploitation investigators who share intelligence and work joint operations across national borders. Exactly what’s needed to combat the many child pornographers using the Internet to extend their nefarious reach around the globe.

Our Friendless Society:

2011-10-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

Our friendless society

By: Mike Fletcher

Here's an important question to answer: right now, if you really needed some help, how many friends do you have that you could call who you know would immediately be there for you?

Still thinking?

This is not good!

You were not made to go it alone.

God created us for relationships with others.

Have you ever realized that four of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship to God while the remaining six deal with our relationship to each other. All 10 are about relationships.

The most important relationship is a personal relationship with our heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ . But we are also supposed to be connected to others.

"Bowling Alone "is the title of a popular book from a few years ago that talked about how we in the United States have become a nation of loners.

This is not good. Doctors tell us that loneliness is a major health problem. A Boston Globe story on the issue reported recently that people who are socially isolated like this but otherwise healthy are twice as likely to die as those who have friends. A similar study fund that isolated men are up to 25% more likely to die of all causes at any age versus non -isolated men. The odds for women are 33%.

George Callup's organization says Americans are among the loneliest people on earth, with more than a third saying they fell isolated and alone.

But George Gallup tells us something else, something he personally discovered that he says is "profoundly good news." Let me quote him:

"I want to report to you now on a trend that may be contributing to a transformation of America. You will not read about this trend in our daily newspapers or on television, yet it is a powerful undercurrent in our society that, I believe, gives us cause for encouragement about the future! This trend could be described as a sociological and spiritual phenomenon: Americans on a massive scale are rediscovering each other, and coming together regularly in small nourishing support groups, many with a spiritual dimension."

The news Gallup discovered is so profound that he has now basically retired from his survey company's day-to-day leadership and has devoted the remaining part of his life to the development and encouragement of small groups. George Gallup, in case you didn't know, is a devout Christian.

Small groups are all about relationships. And that's something that Jesus teaches in the Bible that we are to develop and nurture.

Jesus said our love for each other is to be our witness to the world.

There is nothing intimidating about a Christian small group. They're a lot like families. Think of them as a group of friends who meet regularly to support and encourage one another and to grow in knowledge of the Lord through Bible study, prayer and application.

For most, application means reaching out and helping others, beyond their immediate circule of friends. Many groups have regular outreach projects during the year. There is no shortage of needs. Working at a food pantry, babysitting for single Moms, mentoring school kids and visiting the sick in hospitals are just a few ideas.

Interpersonal relationships bring balance to life. And the best such relationships are when we make connect with others in a basic Christian community.

That's the small group.

If you were to count them all up, the New Testament has over 50 references to how Christians are to be connected in friendship and fellowship. Bible scholars call them the "one another" passages. For example, we're commanded to "love one another", to "pray for one another" and to "build up one another".

It's clear from the Bible that God wants us to be in regular, close fellowship with each other. But such relationships are often the first to be sacrificed to our busy schedules.

This doesn't make sense. For relationships, not wealth or prestige or the accumulation of material things, are what matters most in life.

Now listen. That is just plain wrong. That is sinful. And I say this on the authority of the Bible.

In Matthew 22:36-40. "Jesus said, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart...soul...and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.' "

That's called the Great Commandment.

In Matthew 28:19-20. "Jesus said, 'Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.' "

That's called the Great Commission.

Both of those commandments emphasize relationships.

Here's the bottom line: You cannot be the mature believer God intend unless you get involved with people. You will stagnate. It is unbiblical not to be connected with others. Pastor Rick Warren in big Purpose Driven Life Book said it this way: "If you are too busy to be connected you are too busy."

Clearly, we must make friends a priority if we are going to be obedient to God.

This isn't just an idea. It's a command from jesus, who says we are to join together with others and be friends, loving and praying and supporing one another.

What are you waiting for? Join or start a small group today.

Author Bio

The author is the publisher of the Online Christian Shopper (www.onlinechristianshopper.com), a shopping site specializing in Christian T-Shirts and Christian jewelry. He also writes the Share Your Testimony evangelism Website (www.sharetestimony.com).

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How to Avoid an Abusive Relationship:

2011-10-10T14:12:00.000-07:00

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

An abusive relationship, even if you survive it, will always leave some mental or physical scars. Not to mention financial damages or trust issues. This is too be avoided at all costs.

Steps

Identify it early on and nip it in the bud. Just leave, don’t give the potential abuser a chance to sink his teeth too deep into you. Just move on.
- At the beginning they are always charming and full of attention.
Watch out for signs of early domination.
- Does he let you down and never apologise? Does he keep you waiting for an hour or more but refuse to tolerate a ten minutes delay from you?
- Does he sometimes call you names and laugh it off? Does he criticise your weight, looks, age, anything that makes you feel low?
Understand that he can be violent without actually hitting you. Verbal violence is nearly as brutal and deameaning.
- Does he try to isolate you from your friends and family?
- Does he constantly bitch about your friends, wishing you would spend more time with him and less time with your family and friends?
- Is your cooking never as good as his mother's or his ex?
- Does he want to make you do stuff in bed against your will (threesome, anal, etc) making you fear he will leave you if you don’t?
- Do you come out of a date with him feeling drained and jumpy?
- Does the mention of his name make you nervous?
- Does he make you feel guilty when you show signs of not taking his crap anymore?
- Does he text you aggressively and continually when you are away?
- Does he alternate threats with loving words?
- Are you feeling confused about your connection?
If you can answer yes to half those questions you are in the early stages of an abusive relationship. There is only one thing to do: cut all contacts from one day to the other.
When you decide to leave, don’t tell him, just go.
Call him or write him a letter explaining exactly why you are leaving him.
Refuse to ever talk to him again.
Do not answer his emails/ texts/ calls.
Ignore him when you see him in the street.
Even if he stalks you, he will move on some day to pester someone else.
Never, ever sleep with him again. You would be losing control.
Don’t jump into another relationship for a while. Take time to rebuild all the you that he has destroyed.

Tips

Remember that it is much better to be on your own than with the wrong partner and in the wrong relationship.
Learn your lesson and keep spotting early signs of domination and abuse in your next relationship.
Never tell your next man about what has happened, somehow most men give themselves permission to abuse what they consider "damaged goods".

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Avoid an Abusive Relationship. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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Missing Baby Lisa: Parents Once Again Cooperating With Investigation, Police Say:

2011-10-10T05:41:00.000-07:00

Lisa Irwin was last seen around 10:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, 2011, when her mother put her to bed. (Facebook)

By CLAYTON SANDELL (@Clayton_Sandell) and CHRISTINA NG

Oct. 8, 2011

The parents of a missing 10-month-old Missouri baby once again are cooperating with the investigation into the girl's disappearance, a police official said tonight.
Kansas City, Mo., police captain Steve Young said detectives were meeting with the family, but there still were no suspects or solid leads into the whereabouts of Lisa Irwin, who has been missing from her Kansas City home since Monday night.
"They're talking with us and that is absolutely the best thing," Young said.
FBI agents also were meeting with the missing girl's parents, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley, ABC News has learned.
On Thursday, Young said Irwin and Bradley no longer were cooperating with the investigation, though the parents maintained that they continued to cooperate and only were taking a break.
Missing Baby Lisa: Leads -- but None Solid
Though police said there were no solid leads in the case, they appeared to be pursuing a number of investigative avenues, many of which they would not comment upon directly.

Lisa Irwin: A Look Inside the Home Watch Video

Inside Baby Lisa's Home Watch Video

Baby Lisa's Parents Cooperating? Watch Video

Today, a crime scene investigation team from the Kansas City Police arrived at the home of the parents of the missing girl and searched the front and rear yards with metal detectors, though they would not say what they were looking for.
Police also continued to go door-to-door in the neighborhood looking for clues.
"We have a list of every residence in the neighborhood," Young said. "We don't just knock and move on. We track it. We log who we've spoken to. We log which houses haven't had an answer at the door."
On Friday, investigators questioned a teenage neighbor of Lisa's parents and forensic experts took a DNA sample, a source told ABC News. That neighbor apparently was at the home the day Lisa vanished and knew the access code to the family's garage.
Investigators are also looking into reports from the West Coast, where a couple was seen with a small child fitting Lisa's description, relative Mike Lerette told ABC affiliate KMBC-TV.
"They're pursuing surveillance tape on a couple with the baby in California," said Lerette.
FBI special agent and ABC News consultant Brad Garrett said the lead involving the teenager likely was a more helpful than the tip from California.
"I can tell you based on experience of working high-profile abductions that you get leads from literally all over the world. Is that possible? Of course it's possible. Is it likely? I don't think so," Garrett said. "I think this situation is probably going to stay within the Kansas City area."
Earlier on Friday, the FBI and police searched through a landfill for a second time, but found nothing.