SMART FY 2017 Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program

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 State of Indiana has been working towards SORNA implementation since 2006. To date, compliance has not been achieved although Indiana has addressed portions of Title I over the last several years. Indiana Code, case law, and technology change has been extensive. There have been constant changes made to Indiana code since registration started in Indiana in 1994. There have been significant case law changes impacting registration and offender requirements as well. In addition, SORNA requirements sometimes complement and sometimes compete with Indiana code thus adding to the complexity in understanding registration.

The State of Indiana, with the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) as the lead agency has proposed three projects under the SMART FY 2017 AWA grant award. The FY 2017 grant funds will be used to 1) develop statewide sex offender registration and SORNA trainings; the goal of these efforts will be to provide training to legal, supervisory, law enforcement, mental health, and victim service groups. The department will contract with an individual to manage and implement the statewide trainings; 2) provide curriculum to law enforcement agencies involved in registration activities; the goal of these efforts will be to provide curriculum for new registration coordinators and failure to register investigators; and 3)contract with an individual to provide legal assistance for state sex offender registration efforts.

The IDOC will work with various vendors and entities to conduct the above work. It is anticipated that these projects will allow the State to move towards SORNA compliance while at the same time enhancing statewide registration efforts. The IDOC’s Registration and Victim Services Division will have direct oversight over the implementation of these efforts.
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