Sex Offender Advisory Board

The Sexual Offender Advisory Board (SOAB) was established within the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services in June 2006 and restructured as a unit separate from the Department in June 2010 (Chapter 4, Acts of 2006 Special Session; Chapters 178 & 179, Acts of 2010). The Board reviews Maryland's laws and those of other states and jurisdictions that concern sexual offenders, as well as the practices and procedures for supervising and monitoring sexual offenders which currently are used by the Maryland Parole Commission and Community Supervision (formerly the Division of Parole and Probation). The Board also evaluates technology that tracks offenders; reviews developments in assessing and treating sexual offenders; formulates standards for such treatment based on current and evolving best practices; and certifies treatment programs that comply with the standards. With the Department the Board is working to develop criteria to measure an individual's risk for re-offending. Also, the Board considers how to increase interstate cooperation in registering and monitoring sexual offenders. Finally, the Board makes recommendations for training sexual offender management teams within the Department.

Of the Board's seventeen members, the Governor appoints eight to four-year terms. Nine serve ex officio (Code Public Safety Article, sec.
1-401).