Yakama Nation continuation of the Sex Offender Registration Program

The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (AWA) (Pub. L. 109-248, 42 U.S.C. § 16901, et seq) authorizes the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART) to administer sex offender management grants. These grants assist state, local 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.
The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation plans to enhance its current sex offender registration system and to increase reporting rate by changing cultural attitudes through education. To achieve these goals, the Yakama Nation will (1) create an additional mobile registration unit (vehicle); (2) complete staff hiring of two additional enforcement officers; and (3) provide training of multi-disciplinary culturally-appropriate approaches to community on sex offender education and notification, and to include professional staff and tribal leadership training. ca/ncf