SMART FY2012 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 State of Maryland is working to ensure the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services' capacity to manage, store, and make available the data stored in the Maryland Online Sex Offender Registry database to local law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies. Grant funds will ensure that the Maryland Online Sex Offender Registry (MOSOR) is available to efficiently process registration information and provide consistent public access to the Maryland Online Sex Offender Registry website. This will be accomplished through the purchase and installation of four computer servers. These servers will enhance security and increase the speed of the online registry to meet the increase in inquiries made to the registry.

ca/ncf