E-Monitoring: A New Frontier in Criminal Justice System

Legally, the criminal justice system has evolved significantly in terms of law enforcement, especially in adopting technology in justice dispensation. This situation has led to the usage of electronic Monitoring; criminologists refer to digital Monitoring as a method of digital incarceration. Definitively, electronic Monitoring is understood as the act of surveillance technology used on suspects, offenders, or potential offenders to oversee their moves or intentions in and outside prisons (Brancale et al. 2018). In this case, an electronic gadget or tag is installed and fitted on a person's ankle or arm worn as a wrist bracelet.

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The said tag is then coded with a residential telephone line, which will keep track of a person's moves within a specified locality. Electronic Monitoring has a unique way of how it works; basically, the attached device has the capability of obtaining and sending coded signals a central monitoring system. When such signals are received via telephone line, the transmission can track down the bearer of the electronic tag or device. Notably, the transmission of information relied on radio frequency from a receiver monitored by an officer. Additionally, with the advancement of technology, a global positioning system (GPS) is today extensively used as it provided real-time information, especially when tracking the location of the bearer of the digital device.

Significantly, electronic Monitoring has several goals or purposes of achieving. For instance, it does not only create an alternative to imprisonment and reducing overcrowding in prisons, but it also makes broader purposes, such as being able to monitor curfews in a particular locality (Brancale et al. 2018). Furthermore, it helps restrict offenders in designated places, either home or place such an offender prone to shoplifting has to be restricted at home, and immediately he moves out, the monitoring system is alerted.

Challenges of Electronic Monitoring

Since electronic Monitoring is purely technology in use, it usually faces technological problems. However, it is prone to other challenges; for instance, there often cases of flight risks, especially among juvenile offenders. There have been cases where some offenders have cut off the devices fitted on their arm and fled to unknown locations; thus, tracing them becomes a mission in futility. In some cases, there are technological failures, especially in transmission. When these failures occur, it may raise false violations by an offender to be out of range or have left designated areas (Budd et al. 2017).

In the same breath, there is a challenge of financial glitches towards monitoring activities. This challenge is not only to the officers alone but the state, in some instances, passes these costs to those being monitored/wearers of the device. There are reported cases of monitoring failures where it is discovered that despite digital gadgets placed on offenders, some go on for days without being checked or monitored by an officer. Repeated alerts from the devices were ignored by officers on duty, thus jeopardizing the whole process. Additionally, there are also cases of the proliferation of digital devices (Budd et al. 2017). In this scenario, it is noted that the said devices may easily be tampered with, cracked, batteries of the devices dying out, and some cases recording false locations, thus causing more problems.

Lastly, the rime frame and violation of privacy has always been a contentious issue. Notably, imprisonment takes a short time on particular minor offenses. Still, electronic Monitoring takes longer, or even a lifetime, additionally, the offenders have limited rights to their privacy as monitoring officers are forever on their toes and track. On the other hand, it is notable that electronic Monitoring significantly causes stigmatization to offenders and their families in a society (Nellis, 2018). Equally, it also burdens the offenders and their families financially.

Recidivism Rates

The state department of justice has recorded an increase in the usage of electronic Monitoring. In the same breath, statistics from this department have also epitomized that with the advent and full utilization of electronic Monitoring, recidivism has equally reduced (Budd et al. 2017). A case example is what happened in Florida State. The state applied heavy use of electronic Monitoring to offenders as an alternative to imprisonment. By the year 2009, over two thousand offenders were being monitored, and later information was gathered after completion of the incarceration period a review was done through a qualitative analysis in comparisons to those who were entirely in prisons (Nellis, 2018). The findings recorded were that electronic Monitoring was more effective and reduced the risk of an offender's failure or going back to criminality.

Effective Electronic Monitoring

Conclusively, there is no doubt that there are unending debates on the effectiveness of electronic Monitoring. There is no doubt that there exist several challenges; however, these disadvantages do not override the significant benefits of electronic Monitoring. Fundamentally, it is evident that such Monitoring is effective. This situation is epitomized by the reduced reoffending by offenders subjected to the digital incarceration. In the same breath, it is also evident that Monitoring has a deterrence effect both to the wearer and, by extension, the community at large (Budd et al. 2017). Equally, it also offers an offender time and opportunity to rehabilitate at home and in the company of family, which a positive aspect and, in most cases, reduces recidivism.

References

Brancale, J., Blomberg, T. G., & Bales, W. D. (2018). Electronic Monitoring. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Budd, K. M., & Mancini, C. (2017). Public perceptions of GPS monitoring for convicted sex offenders: Opinions on the effectiveness of electronic Monitoring to reduce sexual recidivism. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, 61(12), 1335-1353.

Nellis, M. (2018). Electronically monitoring offenders as "coercive connectivity": Commerce and penality in surveillance capitalism. In Privatising Punishment in Europe? (pp. 124-142). Routledge.