Funding for SORNA Implementation

The SMART Office established the Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation grant program in FY 2007 to assist state, local, and tribal jurisdictions in developing and/or enhancing programs designed to implement the requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). This grant program provides funding to help jurisdictions—

• Develop or enhance sex offender registration programs.
  
  
• Improve law enforcement and other justice agency information sharing as it relates to sex offender registration and notification.
  
  
• Develop or enhance local absconder apprehension efforts.
  
  
• Collect, store, and analyze sex offender biometric and DNA data.
  
  
• Implement other efforts aimed at furthering SORNA???s objectives.

In March 2008, the SMART Office awarded 72 grants under the Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation program, totaling $11.8 million, to 14 federally recognized Indian tribes, 28 states, and 39 localities. These awards support various projects involving efforts such as enhancement of information technology programs, support of sex offender registration and notification, address verification and implementation of sex offender registration programs, and multiagency task force operations targeting noncompliant sex offenders.

The SMART Office web site includes the list of grantees. On July 31, 2008, the SMART Symposium will include a session that presents information on several innovative programs funded in FY 2008.

In March 2008, the SMART Office announced additional funding for this grant program through the release of the FY 2008 SMART Office Support for Implementation of the Adam Walsh Act Grant Program solicitation. Awards will be made by September 30, 2008.

In addition to the Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation grant program, the SMART Office manages the Juvenile Sex Offender Treatment and Capacity Development grant program. In FY 2007, the SMART Office provided $5 million to support juvenile sex offender treatment programs. It is anticipated that program implementation will begin in September 2008.

In FY 2008, the SMART Office assumed management of the Comprehensive Approaches to Sex Offender Management (CASOM) Training and Technical Assistance grant program from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The CASOM program assists state, local, and tribal jurisdictions in improving their adult and/or juvenile sex offender management policies and practices by—

• Critically examining existing approaches to monitoring and managing the population.
  
  
• Identifying significant gaps and needs in the monitoring and management of sex offender programs.
  
  
• Developing strategies to address the current shortcomings in existing programs or in the development of new programs.
  
  

The FY 2008 CASOM solicitation announced funding for one national training and technical assistance program and also state and tribal training grant opportunities. This solicitation closed on May 29, 2008, and awards will be made by September 30, 2008.