The Adam Walsh Act is a federal law enacted in 2006 aimed at improving the tracking and registration of sex offenders in the United States. Named after Adam Walsh, a young boy who was abducted and murdered in 1981, the law established a national sex offender registry and set guidelines for states to follow in managing sex offender information. The act categorizes sex offenders into three tiers based on the severity of their crimes, with stricter registration requirements for higher tiers. It also mandates that states share information about sex offenders with the public, enhancing community awareness and safety.