FY 2023 Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program

SORB seeks further enhancements to its SORIS2 database so it can move toward substantial implementation of SORNA.  This update will add a translation alert page to all SORIS2-generated offender communications.  The goal is to promote efficiency in offender communication and understanding. SORB already includes the translation alert page with its Annual Duty Letter (Birthday Letter) in SORIS2, and it has improved communication.

The letter includes an alert written in 9 languages including Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, French, Russian, Cape Verdean, Haitian Creole & Vietnamese. SORB will also update the translation alert letter to include the addition of the Chinese language. The alert reads: “This document is important and should be translated immediately.” The proposed SORIS2 Enhancement will alert a non-English reader to the importance of the communication and will aid in obtaining accurate and current offender registration information as required by SORNA. 

This project will also enhance the capabilities of its SORIS2 database, to include a translation alert page in all SORIS2-generated offender communications.  After the enhancement, all SORIS2-generated SORB letters will contain an alert warning of the letter’s importance in several common languages. SORB is requesting funding to contract this project with the SORIS2 database vendor xFact.  The SORIS2 Enhancement proposed above will create a more comprehensive database of documents. The intended result is efficiency in an offender understanding their registration and classification response requirements thereby keeping offender registration information accurate and current as immediate as possible.

Another SORIS2 enhancement will allow a system generated alert to police department contacts when a SORB Registration Specialist identifies a potential address for an offender in violation, or possible noncompliance with their registration obligations.  This alert would inform the police department that a potential address needs verification. SORB Registration Specialists currently collect potential address information from multiple state agencies and other databases to bring offenders into compliance with their registration requirements.  This enhancement will replace the current manual process and will send and log all alerts within the offender's SORISII record.  

SORB will use FFY23 AWA funds to develop and distribute updated brochures relative to the Electronic Sex Offender Registry Information Portal (ESORI) to increase awareness on the availability of sex offender registration information to all members of the community, schools, public housing agencies, and social service entities responsible for protecting minors. These brochures will be printed in several languages with the goal of spreading awareness of the availability of important public safety information in underserved communities.   The brochures will be designed to safeguard everyone in the community by giving them the tools and training on how to obtain and identify sex offender information and prevent, especially of children. 
Certain brochures will be designed to target specific groups that are currently underutilizing the registries information, such as schools and those using personal care attendants. The implementation and distribution of the proposed brochures will be designed to safeguard everyone in the community by giving them the tools and training on how to obtain and identify sex offender information and prevent further victimization, especially of children.