Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board Support for Adam Walsh Implementation Project

The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (AWA) (42 U.S.C. § 16909, et seq.; Pub. L. 113-235, 128 Stat. 2130, 2193) 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 Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) is the lead agency in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ effort to substantially implement the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) and provides administrative and managerial oversight to the Commonwealth’s Sex Offender Registry Board (SORB). In an effort to continue to move the Commonwealth of Massachusetts towards substantial implementation of SORNA, EOPSS proposes to utilize grant funds to support projects including: 1) procurement of electronic record management software, 2) support for administrative personnel to assist with file digitization, 3) procurement of mobile fingerprint ID solution devices for the apprehension of non-compliant offenders, and 4) development of a best practices manual for law enforcement SORB training conferences. ca/ncf