SMART 2017 Support for Adam Walsh Act 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.

In an effort to improve and maintain Alabama’s compliance with SORNA, and safeguard the citizens of Alabama, the Alabama Office of Prosecution of Services (OPS) submitted a project under the SMART FY 2017 AWA grant award. With this funding, OPS proposed to train prosecutors, law enforcement, probation and parole, and other criminal justice agencies that prosecute, register, monitor and track sex offenders; create and provide awareness programs which educate the community on the dangers of sex offenders. All of these are necessary tools to ensure compliance with SORNA. The FY 2017 AWA funds will specifically support, personnel, travel and training, office supplies and contracts with WESTLAW Legal Research Search and a professional speaker.

As a result of the proposed trainings, OPS expects the state to see a decrease in the number of unknown and absconded sex offenders in Alabama. OPS also expects communities throughout the state to have a better awareness on the dangers of sex offenders. This grant project will improve and maintain Alabama’s compliance with SORNA and in turn safeguard the citizens of Alabama. ca/ncf