It’s a ticking clock for Colorado and various other states when it comes to getting funding for their jurisdictions’ criminal justice needs. Specifically, the federal government is requiring states to comply with The Adam Walsh Act, a new set of regulations related to sex offenses such as child sexual abuse.
You have likely heard of what is now the notorious sex offender registry. Basically, those who are convicted of sex crimes wind up with their names and information in a computer database. Not all states have jumped on board with the rules of The Adam Walsh Act, however, even with compliance deadlines having come and gone multiple times.
According to The Wall Street Journal, July 27 marks the reported final deadline for states to reach full compliance. If Colorado and the rest of the county don’t meet the U.S. Department of Justice’s demands by then, the states’ systems would be denied different amounts of government funding for the year.
Sources report that only four states are actually in full compliance of The Adam Walsh Act. The suggested reasons why the majority of the country hasn’t complied with the legislation are the following: controversial consequences for convicted juveniles as a result of the legislation, controversial requirements regarding determining how long a sex offender remains on the registry and, of course, cost.
Those behind the sex offender registry legislation stress how when some jurisdictions fail to comply with the laws, that non-compliance allows “dangerous” sex offenders to find the gaps and move around accordingly. Critics of the sex offender registry requirements believe that the “danger” created in non-compliant jurisdictions is being overly dramatized by lawmakers.
Source
The Wall Street Journal: “States Resist Federal Sex Offender Registry,” Ana Campoy, 9 Apr. 2011