The Georgia Department of Corrections has been awarded a $500,000 grant that will be used to locate and prosecute absconded sex offenders.

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The grant was awarded by the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. It has awarded $11.4 million in grants to 26 state and local agencies.

The department plans to use the funding to create a Sex Offender Apprehension Team that will be charged with locating and arresting sex offenders wanted for violating the conditions of their probation.

Corrections Commissioner Brian Owens said the "grant will go a long way in supporting that mission" of public safety.

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