WASHINGTON, July 28 /EMWNews/ -- On July 30, 2008 through

August 1, 2008, the Department of Justice will host its 2008 National

Symposium on Sex Offender Management and Accountability in Baltimore, Md.

This annual national training conference is hosted by the Department's

Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Sex Offender Sentencing,

Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART). One thousand of

the nation's lawmakers, sex offender registry officials, policy advisors,

law enforcement, parole and probation officers, prosecutors, and frontline

professionals, who monitor, register, track and manage sex offenders are

expected to attend.



    WHO: Opening Ceremony Speakers



    Kevin J. O'Connor, Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice



    Jeffrey L. Sedgwick, Acting Assistant Attorney General, OJP



    Laura L. Rogers, Director, SMART Office



    Joe Garcia, President, National Congress of American Indians



    Closing Ceremony Speakers



    John Clark, Director, United States Marshals Service



    Rod Rosenstein, U.S. Attorney, District of Maryland



    Laura L. Rogers, Director, SMART Office



    Ed Smart, Child Safety Advocate and President of Surviving Parents

Coalition



    WHAT: 2008 National Symposium on Sex Offender Management and

Accountability



    WHEN: Opening Ceremony: July 30, 2008 8:45 a.m. - 10:00 A.M. EDT



    Closing Ceremony: August 1, 2008 Noon - 1:00 P.M. EDT



    WHERE: Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel



    101 West Fayette Street, Baltimore, Md. 21201



    The SMART Office was created by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and

Safety Act of 2006. Since its creation, the SMART Office has provided

training and assistance to establish minimum standards for sex offender

registration and notification throughout the United States. To support

these efforts the SMART Office has provided more than $15.8 million in

grants to state, local and tribal governments. In addition, the SMART

Office has hosted a number of consultations throughout the country to

assist jurisdictions in their efforts to make these changes quickly and

effectively.



    NOTE: ALL MEDIA MUST PRESENT GOVERNMENT-ISSUED PHOTO ID (such as

driver's license) as well as VALID MEDIA CREDENTIALS. Cameras must be

pre-set by 30 minutes prior to opening or closing ceremony. All press

inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Sarah Matz at (202)

307-0703. Additional information can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/smart.