August 28, 2012

Manchin, Rockefeller & Rahall Announce Grant to Protect West Virginia Children

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin, along with Congressman Nick Rahall, today announced $88,075 in federal funding to the West Virginia Division of Justice and Community Services to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), which provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States.

“Every child deserves to have a safe and happy childhood, and, as adults, it is our responsibility to protect them from harm,” said Rockefeller.  “This funding will allow states to more accurately monitor the whereabouts of sex offenders and give parents and guardians access to information to help safeguard our children from sexual predators.  It is absolutely vital that we do everything we can to protect our families and keep our children safe from sexual predators.”

“Sex offender registries are a critical tool for law enforcement and communities in West Virginia and around this nation,” Manchin said. “Keeping our children safe from predators is one of our highest priorities, especially in this era of the Internet. This grant will help our law enforcement agencies do the important work of providing accurate, timely and comprehensive information so that we can protect our children and adults from sexual exploitation and violent crime.”

"Sexual predators are every parent's nightmare.  Safeguarding our children from such heinous behavior demands our most vigilant efforts,” said Rahall.  “These federal funds will help to prevent the theft of our young's innocence, giving parents and guardians the information they need to keep their children safe and protected."

SORNA was enacted as part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, which is the federal law designed to protect children and adults from sexual exploitation and violent crime, prevent child abuse and child pornography, and promote Internet safety.  SORNA establishes a comprehensive national system for the registration and notification of convicted sex offenders in order to protect the public.  This federal funding is provided by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs.

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