Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Tracking devices for offenders a possibility

Ankle bracelets are water proof and tamperproof

Evelyn Cronce El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

The Socorro County Commission is investigating the use of satellite technology to keep track of offenders as an alternative to incarceration.

At a recent meeting, Bill Jetton and Dean Bailey, of iSECUREtrac Corp. in Omaha, Neb., gave a video presentation to commissioners. iSECUREtrac provides tracking devices that uses of the Global Positioning Satellite System as an alternative to traditional house arrest.

The offender is fitted with an ankle bracelet and receives an associated wearable tracking device that clips onto a belt. The ankle bracelet is waterproof and makes use of new tamper-proof technology. The tracking device is returned to its base unit every night for charging and any updating that may be required.

The traditional method of house arrest uses a radio frequency system, which only indicates if an offender is at home or not. The satellite-tracking unit records the GPS location of the offender every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, every day.

The system is programmed with green zones — usually the offender's residence, place of employment, and the route the offender would travel to get to and from work. Times and days are entered to show that the offender should leave the house at a certain time, travel a certain route to work, be at work during certain hours then return home.

There are also programmed red zones, or places the offender is not supposed to visit. Notice of a violation is sent and recorded, for example, if the offender tampers with the device, is in the wrong place or is in the right place at the wrong time.

Data on each offender is available to law enforcement personnel via the Internet from any computer. The data is recorded in the iSECUREtrac's database and, according to Jetton, is acceptable evidence in court.

Bailey reported that McKinley, Torrance and Guadalupe counties already use the iSECUREtrac system.

The commission decided to ask for input from judges, parole and probation officers before making any decisions, so more presentations will be scheduled for these groups.

ecronce@dchieftain.com

E-mail this story Printer-friendly version