Electronic Monitoring – The Effective Way to Reduce Crime

Judges are taking to electronic monitoring of criminals in an effort to reduce the pressure on the already overcrowded and expensive prison system. Currently, there are a variety of devices available to facilitate effective monitoring of criminals. Some of the popular devices that are used for electronic monitoring include radio frequency or RF monitoring devices, passive, active, and hybrid GPS tracking devices, as well as voice verification platforms.

Offender monitoring services in Michigan have been taken to the next level through the introduction of electronic monitoring systems. The state has made it a policy to provide GPS ankle tethers to all criminals not lodged in jail following their verdict. Even those who are currently involved in ongoing  trials are not put behind the bars and instead are provided with a GPS tether.

The best thing about these tethering devices is that they help considerably in reducing crime. The reason behind this is the fact that most criminals will not risk their freedom by opting for an unnecessary violation. They do not want to return to the dingy jail cells and instead be a part of  society and lead an active life.

Once a criminal has committed a crime, he is statistically more likely to commit the same crime again. There is no in point wasting the state’s resources for building and maintaining new jails to house these repeat offenders of minor crimes; rather, the courts can opt for electronic monitoring. Despite their economic advantages not all counties in Michigan use the tethering devices on their minor offenders.

Several other states in the U.S. are opting for similar programs to the offender monitoring services used in Michigan.  The Michigan tether program has been a huge success, which has inspired other states to replicate the use of tethers to reduce incarceration. There is no need for low-level offenders to be put in jail, as tethering can be used for effective tracking of the offender’s activities.

The Department of Corrections has a centralized monitoring system with alerts. Thus, any abnormal activity such as loitering near a restricted area sends in an alert to the authorities who then immediately arrest the offender.

The Michigan tether program has been an excellent example to other jurisdictions that crime can be reduced quite effectively if one knows how to use electronic monitoring wisely.