New program to target cybercrimes against Indiana youth

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – The Indiana State Police are starting a statewide effort to educate young people about cyber victimization.

State police announced the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children program on Monday morning. The program will have three specially train educators available for those between the ages of eight and 18.

Officials say they anticipate the program will have more requests than the educators can handle. But they say an aggressive plan is being developed that would provide at least 300 training programs to young people by the end of the year.

State police say the programs are necessary because of instances of sexual predators targeting young people online. Programming also will focus on cyber-bullying and radicalization by terrorists and criminal extremists.

A grant from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute is funding the project.