08.28.15

Hoeven: DOJ Awards More Than $350,000 to Support Sex Offender Registration, Boost Public Safety in ND

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, who serves on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the U.S. Department of Justice has awarded $333,675 to the North Dakota Office of the Attorney General from its Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program. The ND Office of the Attorney General will use the funds to help ensure timely registration of sex offenders by using electronic submission systems, which will reduce local law enforcement staff time spent on registration, improve the verification process, and add a verification of offenses from criminal history for age of offense to validate juvenile status in offender registration; improve the timeliness of additional sex offender information sent via mail and improve capabilities of record retrieval.

The DOJ also awarded $18,786 to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. JAG allows states and units of local government, including tribes, to support a wide range of activities to control and prevent crime based on state and local needs. Specifically, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe will use the funds to cover the costs for an attorney to serve as a Special Indigent Defense Conflict Counsel, which will be made available to indigent clients who come through the Standing Rock Tribal Court whose cases conflict with the Tribal Court’s Public Defenders/Advocate and who cannot afford to hire an attorney to represent them.

“As our state’s economy continues to grow and attract new residents, it’s important for us to invest in programs that will allow our law enforcement officers and court officials to prevent and control crime,” Hoeven said. “Today’s grants will help to make sure that North Dakota’s communities stay safe, and I will continue working on the federal level to help make sure that those working for justice receive the tools and support they need to continue their important work.”

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