Implementation of the Adam Walsh Act/SORNA for the Four Washoe Tribal Communities

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.

In order to comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act under the Adam Walsh Act, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California has developed a program to create a registry as well as create awareness about sexual predators and criminal behavior. The Tribe has created the following objectives to achieve these goals: 1) Communicate with other tribes and jurisdictions to share information/ implementation strategies and resolve critical multi-jurisdictional challenges; 2) Develop in-depth search capacity (physical and technical) to identify and monitor sex offenders residing, working, visiting or moving through the area; 3) Develop multi-disciplinary culturally appropriate approach to community education and notification to include professional staff/tribal leadership training component; 4) complete staff hiring and code work.

ca/ncf