FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE :  Friday, November 9, 2012
CONTACT:  Sara Rabern (605)773-3215   

South Dakota, North Dakota and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Unite on Sex Offender Registry

 
PIERRE, S.D.-  South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman Charles W. Murphy announced today that the State of South Dakota and the State of North Dakota have entered into a joint powers agreement with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (SRST) to share offender and conviction data, process DNA samples, and advise each other of offenders moving back and forth across jurisdictional boundaries. Currently, the SRST maintains its own sex offender registry of offenders who reside, work or attend school within the boundaries of the reservation. This agreement will allow the SRST to maintain its own offender registry and have its sex offender’s data submitted electronically for inclusion into the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website.
“Sex offender registries were created to protect our children and communities and this agreement allows South Dakota, North Dakota and tribal law enforcement to implement and enforce the registry in order to protect tribal and non-tribal members,” said Jackley.
“The sex offender registry is valuable tool which allows members of the public and law enforcement officials to monitor the identities, locations, and behaviors of convicted sex offenders in tribal communities.  The Agreements with the State of North Dakota and the State of South Dakota will assist the Tribe in making the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation a safer place for everyone,” said Chairman Charles W. Murphy.

-30-