Owings, Md.: Protecting children on the internet is of enormous concern to all parents I know. I think agents should visit other schools. This would benefit not only the agents by learning from different geographical areas of teens but would also be teaching the teens the dangers of the internet and what to look out for? I attended one session years ago taught by an FBI agent in Maryland. It was very informative. There should be more of this. Just a thought.

washingtonpost.com: Girls Teach Teen Cyber Gab to FBI Agents (Post, June 4)

Stacey Bradley: We agree, education is the key to this crime. We give presentations on this topic all over the world, to children and parents.

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Washington, D.C.: Were the girls paid for their work with the FBI?

Stacey Bradley: The girls were not paid, they do this voluntarily.

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Tucson, Ariz.: What advice would you give to a parent who wants to have his/her kids enjoy their online/internet experience without seeming to nosy and worrisome, i.e, too much like a a parent and not being a POS (Parent Over Shoulder)?

Stacey Bradley: Having a computer in a family room, or kitchen, or a common area so you can monitor your childrens activities is a good start. There are also computer software you can buy that will block certain websites, certain chatrooms, etc. Talking to your children about the dangers of the Internet, would also be a good idea.

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Kalispell, Mon.: As a deputy sheriff, I sometimes have citizens reporting suspicious activities on the internet. Everything from sexual predation to business scams. What is the jurisdiction of these crimes. Obviously I have no idea where the suspect is, but the victim is in my office. How is the best way to follow up on these situations?

Stacey Bradley: I would report the crimes to your local FBI field office. Every FBI field ofice has a Crimes Against Children Coordinator to address these issues.

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Greenbelt, Md.: How many people have you arrested?

Stacey Bradley: As of December 2002, The FBI has arrested 2,234 individuals for these type of crimes.

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Greenbelt, Md.: What do the girls parents think about their training the Agents on this topic?

Stacey Bradley: They are very supportive. They feel if it could help one child from getting hurt, it is worth it.

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Orange County (goshen--near west point), N.Y.: As a parent with three teens on the Net daily, I'm concerned with unwanted sexual advances made in chat rooms toward my children. What constitutes criminal behavior/criminal solicitation in teen chat rooms/zones? Whom do we notify if someone is trying to lure my children? yahoo, AOL, the police? Where can I find more information about the federal/state laws governing unwanted sexual advances made toward my (or all) children on the Net? Thank you!

Stacey Bradley: You should look for the FBI.Gov website for information on these crimes, and how to help prevent them from happening to your children.You can also report to your local FBI field office, and also report to your ISP.

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McLean, Va.: What skill sets are you looking for in potential FBI Agent candidates who are looking to specialize in fighting cyber crime(s).

Stacey Bradley: The FBI is seeking applicants with computer science background and professional work experience.

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Austin, Tex.: We all applaud what you are doing. My concern is how to teach our children if they are speaking with adults online or other children Are the pedophiles online posing as young kids? If so how are they learning how to speak like these kids?

Stacey Bradley: Many of the individuals who commit these crimes have children of their own. That is how they know how to talk like children. I would tell your children not to chat with anyone they do not know or if they do, never give out personal information that could identify them.

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Lawton, Okla.: What are the penalties for such laws?

Stacey Bradley: The laws concerning these vary a little but individuals who commit these violations can get up to 10 years in federal prison for a single image of a child sent over the Internet.

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London U.K.: Does this program target all on-line sexual predators, or only those targeting teen age girls? And is there similar training on how to act like a teen age boy?

Stacey Bradley: The Innocent Images Program targets any person looking to exploit children online, regardless of age. Yes, we do get some training on how to act like a teenage boy.

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Juneau, Alaska: What about potential offenders in other countries? Can anything be done to stop or punish them?

Stacey Bradley: Yes. The FBI is represented all over the world, and works very closely with Foreign Law Enforcement.

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Fairfax, Va.: Can a citizen be undercover to try catch this kind of people?

Stacey Bradley: No, I do not recommend it at all. Law enforcement is trained and has the law behind them to allow them to investigate these crimes. As a private citizen, you could be putting in a unlawful situation by trying to investigate it yourself.

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Indiananpolis, Ind.: I always wondered do you investigators see regional trends when tracking down these type of criminals. Also, is there a certain type of girl/boy the predators look for--shy, sheltered kids; kids already sexually active, etc--because the chances of gaining their confidence is better.

Stacey Bradley: They are looking for any child who will chat with them on the Internet. They do not know the child's background, or if they are shy.

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Alexandria, Va.: What do you think is the most important concept we need to get out there to teenagers and children using the Internet about their safety?

Stacey Bradley: Be aware Kids, there are some bad guys out there. Be mindful not to give out any personal information to anyone over the Internet that could identify you.

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Landover, Md.: Thank you very much for protecting our children. I was abused as a small child and I can't tell you how badly it affected me. I am 46 and there are still areas of my life affected by the abuse. Keep up the good work!

Stacey Bradley: This is why we do what we do. Children are our future and I could not imagine not trying to protect them. Thank you.

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Chico, Calif.: Based on your training in teenage slang and word use, how short is a "generation" among today's early teenagers, in terms of word use, values, worldview,etc.? Can your "instructors" be of use for some years, or will you need a constant infusion of new teenagers with up to date information for you? Thanks for providing this valuable service.

Stacey Bradley: We will have to stay up with the times, hence using age appropriate instructors for the training.

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Stacey Bradley: Well my time has expired, I am sorry that I couldn't answer all of your questions. Thank you for submitting questions and your interest in the FBI Innocent Images Program.

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washingtonpost.com:

That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.