State of Alabama SMART Grant - SORNA Compliance and Palm Print Collection Project

The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (AWA) (Pub. L. 109-248, 42 U.S.C. § 16901, et seq) authorizes the Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART) Office to administer sex offender management grants. These grants assist state, local and tribal jurisdictions in implementing and/or enhancing sex offender registration and notification programs that support compliance with Title I of the AWA, known as the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). SORNA was enacted to protect the public from convicted sex offenders and offenders against children by establishing a comprehensive national system for the registration of those offenders.

The State of Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) will partner with the Alabama Department of Public Safety and the Alabama Sheriff's Departments in order to work towards compliance with SORNA. Each of these agencies have designated duties with reference to registration, notification and monitoring of sex offenders. Through this grant, the ADOC will provide palm print scanning technology in ADOC facilities and county sheriff's departments for the purpose of gathering and maintaining sex offender registration information in digital form, as required by SORNA. This technology will enable effective identification, registration, and notification of sex offenders currently incarcerated or living within the community. Palm print scanners provided to the sheriff's departments will be placed strategically throughout the state, in regions and counties that manage the largest sex offender populations. In addition, this grant will support training for law enforcement personnel within the state on the AWA as well as on utilization of the palm print scanner equipment.

ca/ncf