Juvenile Offenders Required To Register Under SORNA: A Fact Sheet

• NCJ Number: 250560
• Date Published: July 2008
• Length: 2 pages
• Agencies: SMART
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance); Legislation/Policy Description; Legislation/Policy Analysis; Instructional Material

Annotation

This fact sheet explains which juvenile offenders are required to register as sex offenders under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

Abstract

In SORNA , the term "convicted," or a variant thereof, used in connection with a sex offense includes "adjudicated delinquent" as a juvenile for that offense, but only if the offender is 14 years old or older at the time of the offense and the offense adjudicated was comparable to or more severe than aggravated sexual abuse (as described in section 2241 of title 18, U.S. Code), or was an attempt or conspiracy to commit such an offense. Such offenses are described as prohibited under this section. In order to meet the minimum standards of substantial compliance under the Final Guidelines, jurisdictions are not required to register juveniles adjudicated delinquent of a SORNA sex offense just because it involved a sexual act with a person under 12 years old, regardless of the nature of the sexual behavior. The Final Guidelines regarding SORNA's implementation make clear that the criteria to be used in determining whether an offense for which a juvenile has been adjudicated delinquent qualifies for a tier III registration.