Review of the Department of Justice's Implementation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

摘要

This report examines the Department of Justice's (Department) implementation of particular provisions in the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (Adam Walsh Act). Specifically, we reviewed the Department's enforcement of requirements that sex offenders establish and maintain registrations. Title I of the Adam Walsh Act, the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), sets forth specific roles in implementing the Act for the Department and its components--the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the United States Attorneys Offices (USAO), and the Criminal Division. These roles include identifying, arresting, and prosecuting sex offenders who have failed to register or update a registration. Sex offenders who fail to register or update a registration are referred to as non-compliant. If a warrant has been issued for their arrest, they are referred to as fugitive sex offenders. SORNA also places sex offender registration requirements on state, territorial, and tribal jurisdictions--discussed later in this report--that must be implemented within 3 years of SORNA's enactment (by July 27, 2009).