Penobscot Nation Sex Offender Registry

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 Penobscot Nation's goal is to ensure that all convicted sex offenders having contact with the community are duly registered and effectively monitored in accordance with tribal policies and the Adam Walsh Act. Through implementation of the Penobscot Nation's Sex Offender Registry project, the Penobscot Nation plans to enhance the existing operating systems and skill set of current law enforcement personnel. This grant will support efforts to develop a more efficient and more advanced registration program. The establishment of a fully trained police force unit through the Sex Offender Registry Advisory program will ensure legal compliance with the AWA and help to develop and enforce the pending tribal ordinance outlining sex offender registration requirements and clearly defined penalties for failure to register. While this program is tribally-based, the Nation plans to supplement their work with the State of Maine's registry to effectively monitor sex offenders in the local area surrounding the Nation's lands as well.

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