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Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) State and Territory Implementation Progress Check

NCJ Number
250932
Date Published
August 2017
Length
31 pages
Annotation
This report reviews the progress of each U.S. State, territory, and the District of Columbia in implementing provisions of the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Abstract
Enacted in 2006, Title 1 of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act - the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) - created a baseline standard for sex offender registration and public notification. States and other jurisdictions that substantially implement SORNA's requirements avoid a reduction in Federal funding. This report summarizes where each State, territory, and the District of Columbia has met the SORNA minimum requirements in five broad categories. One category of compliance pertains to progress in specifying those offenses and offenders that require registration as a sex offender and inclusion in community notification of that registration. The second category of SORNA compliance examined regards laws and regulations on the timing, offense-based tiering, frequency of offender reporting, and notice of international travel and change of jurisdiction regarding sex offender registration and notification. A third category evaluated involves tracking and penalizing persons who fail to appear for registration, and investigation procedures for suspected absconders. A fourth category examined for SORNA implementation regards the establishment of a public registry website and procedures for its maintenance. The fifth category examined for each jurisdiction regards procedures for monitoring the location of registrants and the sharing of registrant information with law enforcement and prosecution agencies in jurisdictions where registrants reside, work, or travel.