Two More Communities Enact GPS Tracking Laws
Implementing these Systems is Great, but What About Monitoring?
The Full Cost of Using Them Must Be Examined
With blinding speed, GPS Tracking devices for convicted sex offenders and now domestic abuse offenders are being implemented around the country. Two more cities in New England are the latest to adopt and embrace these devices.
A growing problem is that although they provide a great way to keep track of the most serious offenders, the sheer numbers of those who are being monitored is adding too much of a load for those who are responsible for monitoring on an on-going basis.
Important Points
Here is why this is so important and what could be done about it.
Offenders Can Strike Again. Monitoring offenders via GPS Tracking devices can be more challenging than watching inmates in prison. These offenders are moving about in cities and towns and need to be watched more closely because of that fact alone. Risk assessments must be performed to help make sure that the worst offenders are not allowed to be given home detention. But, even this is no guarantee that offenders will not commit crimes again while being monitored.
Victims Need Notification. A good monitoring program must also include a method for notifying victims of a breach on the part of an offender if they cut off their monitoring device, or if it stops communicating with the system. This can at least allow them to be on alert for any activities that might threaten them.
The System Helps Reduce Recidivism Rates When Used Properly. When convicts are allow to serve out their sentences on home detention, they are better able to function in society and get help to become a productive citizen. This makes a strong case for using GPS Tracking in this manner.
Build Growth into System Implementations. When GPS Tracking systems are implemented, growth in numbers of those being monitored must be taken into consideration. These systems will be depended upon to help reduce inmate populations in order to save money. If growth is not a consideration in the system, then it is doomed to failure.
Share the Responsibility to Monitor. Monitoring of convicts and offenders needs to be a shared responsibility of the court system and its various offices. For example, a Parole officer should be assigned a list of offenders that he/she MUST monitor to make sure that there are no violations on the part of the convict. With the implementation of geo-fencing, a person can monitor a high number of these people without having to sit in front of a computer monitor all day.
Set up a National Monitoring Center. A national monitoring center needs to be established to help monitor those who have sentences that allow them to move about within a community or state. If these people move, they should notify local police if their sentence includes that requirement. But, beyond that, they can be watched for movement by a national organization that reports to locals where the person is residing.
The more communities realize that a GPS Tracking system carries with it important responsibilities, the sooner success will come from them.
Tags: GPS Tracking System, implementation, monitoring, Reduce Recidivism, responsibility, Victims
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