Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation

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 Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) intends to use FY 2017 AWA grant funds to support a comprehensive approach to enhance SORNA implementation. The proposed methods include the digitization of paper files, support for local and state law enforcement offender compliance checks and absconder investigations, a subaward to the Pennsylvania Office of Victim Advocate (OVA) for continued resources for victim notification and education, and targeted SORNA training for law enforcement and community leaders.

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