The Southern Ute Tribe and the state of Colorado are in the same place when it comes to the Adam Walsh Act.

Tribal and state officials are developing sex offender registries as required by the law. But both say the federal government hasn't provided adequate funding or assistance to develop systems.

"A lot of these policies are drawn and dictated out with American Indians," Janelle Doughty, the director of the Department of Justice and Regulatory Affairs for the tribe, told The Denver Post. "We are used to it. Tribes really do not get consulted at all. Congress passes a law, and we have to figure out how we are going to be proactive and make it work."

"We are looking at the fact that this is an unfunded mandate," said Chris Lobanov-Rostovsky, the program director of Colorado's Sex Offender Management Board.

The tribe and the state must have their systems in place by next summer.

Get the Story:
Colorado sex-crime database perplexes (The Denver Post 9/22)
Tribe official lauds U.S. Attorney Eid (The Denver Post 9/22)

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