Zuni Sex Offender Registration 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 Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART) to administer sex offender management grants. These grants assist state, local and tribal jurisdictions in developing and/or enhancing sex offender registration and notification programs that support substantial implementation of 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 Zuni Tribe has opted to plan, develop, and implement a Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) compliant sex offender registration program. In addition to implementing the registration program, the Zuni Tribe will complete a comprehensive database containing all pertinent information needed to identify sex offenders that will be required to register, and educate the public regarding SORNA and the Tribal Sex Offender Registry so they will understand how it will keep the community safer. The Tribe plans to house the Zuni Sex Offender Registration Program within the Zuni Police Department and the Zuni Reservation. The program will be managed by the Chief of Police who will oversee development with an officer assigned as a Sex Offender Registry Compliance Officer who will be responsible for maintaining the public website, registering, monitoring and tracking offenders, and enforcing appropriate laws pertaining to non-compliant offenders as well as undergoing training pertaining to any IT needs of the registry.

ca/ncf