IN AWA 2014

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 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. principal territories 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 Indiana Department of Corrections (DOC) seeks to pursue SORNA compliance by focusing on policy, procedure, and technology improvements. With SMART FY 14 AWA grant funds, Indiana's DOC will be able to develop connectivity between the State's registry and local court and prosecutor data, create web service functionality to enable disparate data systems to directly access the State's registry data system, and hire a local sheriff liaison who can coordinate registration efforts and SORNA compliance efforts. ca/ncf