Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes SORNA Program

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 Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes are working towards implementation of SORNA by confronting the challenges they currently have. The challenge of limited staff time allocated to the SORNA project will be addressed by having three staff persons with a total of 200% time. The challenge of lack of accessible equipment for SORNA coordinators will be addressed by the purchase of computers and laptops to register sex offenders as well as operate the Tribe's online registry, necessary software licenses, a digital camera, and a digital finger and palm print device. In addition to supporting equipment purchases, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes SORNA Project will maintain the registration of offenders along with the public sex offender website, plan and facilitate quarterly SORNA Advisory Board meetings, and conduct community outreach activities.

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