FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE : Tuesday, October 21, 2014
CONTACT: Sara Rabern (605)773-3215
South Dakota Sex Offender Registry Maintains National Certification
PIERRE, S.D.- Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today federal authorities have certified that the South Dakota's Sex Offender Registry continues to substantially implement the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The State of South Dakota completed the renewal process in May of 2014 and the Department of Justice has now reaffirmed the status.
“Sex offender registration and community notification are an important part of our commitment to improving the safety of our communities,” said Jackley. “The State remains committed to providing a sex offender registry that exceeds national standards, partners with our reservation communities, and protects our children.”
South Dakota was the fourth registry in the nation to be certified. South Dakota has a compliancy rate of 98.9% across the state. There are currently 3,300 registered sex offenders residing statewide with just 36 identified instances of non-compliance. State law requires those convicted of sex crimes to register as a sex offender within three business days of coming into any county to reside. Additional state law requires sex offenders to reregister every six months.
In 2010, the South Dakota Legislature worked with law enforcement to revise and strengthen the sex offender registry. The Attorney General is responsible for maintaining the sex offender registry, and works closely with local law enforcement and prosecutors to update the registry.
In 2012, the State of South Dakota entered into joint powers agreements with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe to become registered entities of SORNA. The State entered into the same agreement with the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe in early 2014. These agreements allow the Tribes to maintain their own offender registries and have their sex offender’s data submitted electronically for inclusion into the South Dakota Sex Offender Registry.
The South Dakota Sex Offender Registry can be found at this link http://sor.sd.gov/.
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