NH - SORNA Compliance Unit Grant

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 New Hampshire plans to develop a more comprehensive, multi-jurisdictional Sex Offender Unit within the New Hampshire State Police. In doing so the State will partner with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the United States Marshal's Service, & the District of New Hampshire Fugitive Task Force. To achieve this goal, the State will increase staffing of the Sex Offender Unit. With this increase in personnel, the State will be able to address verifications of residency as well as implement a 'zero tolerance' policy for non-compliant offenders. In attempting to protect New Hampshire's children, the Unit will also initiate the statewide Amber Alerts and coordinate these efforts with local law enforcement agencies, utilizing information contained in the Sex Offender Registry database.

ca/ncf