FY 2013 CT SORNA Project

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 Connecticut is facing three major challenges to its implementation of SORNA: (1) lack of compliant legislation; (2) a backlog of violations; and (3) a lack of personnel. To eliminate two of these problems, the State has proposed that it be given grant funds to hire three temporary employees (two officers and a clerical worker) who will help with administrative duties, freeing up current employees to deal with the Sex Offender Registry backlog. ca/ncf