SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

Update on Substantial Implementation

The SMART Office continues to receive an impressive response from Indian Country regarding implementation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Sixty-nine tribal jurisdictions have substantially implemented SORNA. The remaining SORNA tribal jurisdictions continue to implement changes to their codes, policies and procedures, and other implementation activities to meet SORNA’s requirements. In addition, 130 tribes have public sex offender websites linked to the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW). The SMART Office works with all of these tribal jurisdictions on implementation issues and provides technical assistance for the tribes in developing and enhancing their sex offender registration and notification programs.

Native American Sex Offender Management Project

The Native American Sex Offender Management (NASOM) project, a component of the SORNA Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Program, identifies best practice resources for the treatment, management, and reentry of Native American adults and juveniles who have committed sex offenses.

NASOM Project goals include identifying programs and tools used in juvenile and adult sex offender treatment and management services particular to Native American sex offenders and identifying and interviewing sex offender management experts and service providers in tribal communities. NASOM also includes an Indian Country forum at which identified experts gather to develop recommendations on how the SMART Office can assist in developing and enhancing treatment, management, and reentry tools for Native American adults and juveniles who have committed sex offenses.

The project will look at sex offender-specific tools, training, and reentry efforts by tribes that have substantially implemented SORNA, tribes that are in the process of implementing SORNA—including those that are just getting started, and tribes that are not eligible to implement SORNA. As part of the design, the project will develop a protocol for interviewing and recording interviews with key stakeholders.

Tribes and local counties that are interested or involved in the reentry of Native American adults and juveniles who have committed sexual offenses should contact:

Devin J. Rieckmann-Sell, Program Coordinator
National Criminal Justice Training Center, Fox Valley Technical College
888–370–1752
920–735–2572