SMART Watch, Summer 2009

• NCJ Number: 227926
• Date Published: August 2009
• Length: 12 pages
• Agencies: SMART
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis

Annotation

This newsletter from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART) highlights recent developments related to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

Abstract

The focus article of the newsletter outlines and describes three major challenges facing jurisdictions when implementing the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA); these are offense tiering, retroactivity, and juvenile registration. In addition, other newsworthy information related to SORNA include: (1) the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART) welcomed their new director, Linda M. Baldwin; (2) SMART added three new policy advisors to assist jurisdictions with SORNA implementation issues; (3) under the direction of the U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, a 1-year extension was granted to all jurisdictions required to comply with SORNA provisions; (4) SMART announced two funding opportunities in fiscal year 2009 with awards being made by September 2009; and (5) more than 600 registry officials, law enforcement personnel, tribal representatives, prosecutors, and practitioners attended SMART's 2009 national symposium. The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs announced the availability of two new resources to Indian Country through SMART, the Tribe and Territory Sex Offender Registry System (TTSORS) and the Model Tribal Sex Offender Registration Code. These resources will enable tribes to easily and cost-effectively create federally compliant sex offender registration programs and public Web sites. Additional resources in support of SORNA are listed with brief descriptions; these include: Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Web site, Exchange Portal (online information sharing community providing a collaborative environment), Tribe and Territory Sex Offender Registry System, and Model Tribal Code for SORNA.