Electronic monitors check accused and save money
Pete Skiba
Albany Herald
ALBANY - The system pinpoints an offender wearing electronic surveillance equipment on a map, lets a monitoring agency know if the offender left assigned boundaries and tells the offender to get back in bounds.
If an offender under electronic surveillance doesn't get back to where he is supposed to be, the system calls authorities and police are dispatched by 911.
Using the system is also cheaper than keeping someone on probation, awaiting trial or sentenced to house arrest in jail, Dougherty County Superior Court Chief Judge W.E. Lockette.
"We have had a house arrest program here since 1998," Lockette said. "We have refined it over the years as new technology was introduced."
Lockette spoke before about 25 law-enforcement officials, others from community organizations and concerned residents during the September Gang Task Force & Violence Prevention meeting in the Government Center on Pine Avenue Thursday afternoon.
The system, TrackerPal from Judicial Electronic Monitoring Inc., uses a GPS satellite to follow the ankle bracelet of the wearer. It shows up as a dot on a computer's map. If an ankle bracelet wearer is out of his house unauthorized, the system shows it.
Judges, probation departments and other agencies have been using the system to monitor offenders thought to be less than dangerous, but still in need of supervision, Lockette said.
"It costs $50 a day to keep someone in jail," Lockette said. "The system costs $11 a day. The offender pays for it. It is almost cost free."
The almost comes in because the system is not only available for people who can pay for it, but the county has set aside as a loan money for those who cannot pay for it.
An alarm that can be activated if a wearer hides from police is another feature of the TrackerPal system. It is ideal for monitoring prisoners on work release programs or who are attending school, Lockette said.
"It can adapt to school and work schedules," Lockette said. "It can allow for someone unemployed to look for work."
In a short video before Lockette spoke, an example of how the system works was shown.
A wearer gets permission to go to the doctor, his every move is monitored to and from the office. He decides to head to his old neighborhood to see his ex-wife.
In the video, the system alerts authorities and the ex-wife. She locks all her doors and police show up to prevent any possibility of harm.
The system also works as a two-way cell phone to tell the wearer to get back to his house, the police are on the way. The ankle bracelet is difficult to cut off, Lockette said.
If it is cut, a signal goes to the monitoring center and alerts authorities, he added.
"The default rate, the number of offenders who take the system off, commit a crime or have to be arrested is less then 3 percent," Lockette said. "Sex offenders have a separate special program that even monitors their computer use."
Monitoring offenders at less cost than putting them in jail sat well with Albany Commissioner Jon Howard.
"We were elected to do everything to keep the city safe," Howard said. "This is a good program."
In other business, gang task force investigator Hope Ellis reported the force made 35 arrests, held five outreach meetings and identified more than three neighborhood areas as "hot spots" to watch since the August meeting.