Informative workshop slated on
online predator awareness

April 5, 2007 -- The Arkansas State University Department of Social Work will host a “Protecting Children from Online Predators” workshop on Thursday, April 12, at Jonesboro Holiday Inn.  Two workshops will be offered: 1 - 4 p.m. and 6 - 9 p.m.

Robert Hugh Farley, a consultant in crimes against children, will be the featured speaker.  Farley is a 30-year veteran of Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department in Chicago and has 28 years of investigative experience in crimes against children.

The seminar topics will include victim profiles; offender profiles; dangers and traps of chat rooms, My Space, Facebook and other websites; online protection systems; software protection; and world wide access to kids.

This workshop is open to anyone interested in protecting children via today’s technology.  Due to the nature of information provided, this event is open to adults only.

Farley created the Child Exploitation Unit, a specialized unit to proactively combat online Internet solicitation and molestation of children, in 1997.  The unit is one of the most successful law enforcement organizations in the world in arrests of online predators.  To date, it has a 100% conviction rate.

After retiring in 2003, Robert began working as an international consultant for Interpol, the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children and Microsoft Corporation.  In addition, he also works as a consultant and author for VIRTUS, the National Catholic Risk Retention Group.

To register for the free workshop, contact Kris Barham at 972-3116 or kbarham@astate.edu.  Seating is limited, and the deadline to register is April 10.

“Protecting Children from Online Predators” is sponsored by the Title IV-E Arkansas Child Welfare Academic Partnership through the Department of Social Work at Arkansas State University.  The Child Welfare Partnership is a statewide collaboration among Arkansas universities and the Division of Children and Family Services focused on education and training to improve child welfare practice.

For more information contact Trish Holt at 897-5087 or pholt@astate.edu.