Tribes face hurdles with sex offender registration

3-10-2010 New Mexico:

SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) - Only two groups of Native American tribes and one state have implemented sex offender registration and notification systems that comply with a federal law passed nearly three years ago to coordinate and expand registration nationwide.

An official with the U.S. Justice Department's division that coordinates sex offender registration and tracking says she expects dozens of tribes and many states to ask for extensions before this summer's deadline to implement such programs.

Stephanie LoConto spoke Wednesday during a national symposium focused on the protection of children in Indian country. She says sex offender registration is an important part of keeping communities safe.

LoConto says her agency is trying to find solutions to administrative barriers that prevent tribes from entering sex offender information such as DNA and fingerprints into national crime databases. ..Source.. NewsWest9.com