Nova Scotia children will be better protected with the hiring of two new Crown attorneys to prosecute internet child exploitation cases.

“Internet child exploitation is on the rise and we are dedicating the necessary resources to combat this crime and protect our children,” said Attorney General and Minister of Justice Diana Whalen.

“We are committed to helping those who need it the most.”

The Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service received a $192,000 increase in funding as part of Budget 2016-2017, bringing its total budget to more than $23 million. This will allow the Public Prosecution Service to expand its current complement to four Crown attorneys dedicated to cybercrime prosecutions.

The establishment of these two new Crown attorney positions also fulfils one of the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Police and Prosecution Response to the Rehtaeh Parsons Case submitted last fall by Murray Segal, former chief prosecutor and deputy attorney general of Ontario.

The new Crown attorneys are expected to be in place by the fall.

Source: Release