Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe AWA/SORNA Implementation

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 Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe is working towards enhancing their Sex Offender Registry Program. The Tribe has established goals using funds allotted through this grant to: (1) coordinate efforts with Federal, state and local governments focused on establishing/enhancing multi-jurisdictional approaches to monitoring and apprehending sexual offenders; (2) providing local tribes with mentoring and partnering opportunities enabling them to implement or enhance their registry and sexual offender programs; (3) provide project staff with training; and (4) broaden educational outreach and public awareness of the tribal and national Sex Offender Registry which will help to protect all citizens of the Tribe, the surrounding community, and beyond.

ca/ncf