SORNA FY 24

In the jurisdiction of Puerto Rico, the Department of Justice (PRDOJ) is the authorized agency responsible for the substantial implementation of the laws and funds regarding SORNA and the sex offender’s cases. For this purpose, and to strengthen and mechanize the criminal processing in the jurisdiction, in 2014 the Criminal Justice Information Systems Office, (PRCJIS) was created by law. To comply with Federal and local regulations, PRCJIS serves as the criminal information repository of the jurisdiction.

The Integrated Criminal Registry or RCI is the local database and serves as the central hub and main system for criminal investigation, prosecution, and dissemination by storing more than 420,200 criminal records. However, the system is more than 10 years old and outdated, which affects the availability of the data, the information exchange process, and the access to the core modules responsible for the processing of criminal cases, including sex offenders cases.

Therefore, the PRCJIS developed the RCI Updating Project to renovate the core modules for the criminal investigation and prosecution (Filing, Monitoring, Accusation, Criminal Record and SEARCH), which also affect the sex offenders case management and the data in the Sex Offender’s Registry. PRCJIS started the renovation and upgrading of four (4) of these modules. However, the jurisdiction is lacking funds to finance the SEARCH module, which is the most used by Government law enforcement agencies outside the PRDOJ, including Federal agencies. The Information Search module is the digitalized research platform for searching information in different databases from other government agencies integrated into the RCI system, serving as an indispensable tool during criminal investigation processes. To this end, the PRDOJ requests SORNA 2024 funds to update the SEARCH module of the RCI system.

Likewise, with SORNA 2024, the PRDOJ aims to continue the services of the Sex Offenders Registry Unit by contracting 1 Administrator and recruit 1 Quality Control Technician of Electronic Criminal Records. SORNA 2024 funds will support the continuance of the Sex Offenders Registry Educational and Awareness Campaign through the purchase and distribution of promotional flyers, banners and stickers. Also, the PRDOJ intends to purchase screen protectors for the tablets used by the Coordinating Agents of the Police Bureau for geocoding the sex offenders addresses. It is essential, also, to acquire photographic cameras and tripods for the Coordinating Agents of the Police Bureau in charge of sex offenders' cases to standardized the quality of the photos stored in the Registry.