SMART FY2011 Program: SORNA Compliance

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 Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services will utilize grant funds to further its SORNA implementation efforts. The Department's three primary goals for the project are to: (1) enhance the Maryland Sex Offender Registry Unit's capacity to manage, transfer, and store sex offender data by modifying the Maryland Online Sex Offender Registry database, procuring certain equipment to move toward entirely electronic records, and better managing data and document entry into the Maryland Online Sex Offender Registry; (2) create a comprehensive juvenile registration system by creating a juvenile offender online database and providing training and technology updates to the Department of Juvenile Services; and (3) bring Maryland into full SORNA compliance through legislative and regulatory changes.

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