What have empirical evaluations of electronic monitoring and GPS found?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The completion rates for nonviolent federal offenders who are on electronic monitoring (EM), using GPS, are very high at 89%. Federal pretrial detainees have a completion rate of about 77%. Reasons for failure of pretrial drug offenders and supervision violators include unauthorized leave of absence (but return later), flight/absconding (whereabouts unknown), arrest for a new crime, and tampering with electronic monitoring equipment. Completion rates decrease after 180 days; it appears that 6 months is the amount of time that offenders should be under close scrutiny.
Two experiments also compared EM offenders to those on regular community supervision and found that the two groups had similar recidivism rates. The empirical literature suggests that EM technology makes a difference in how offenders act while they are under supervision when compared with similar offenders on traditional probation or parole. Offenders who are under electronic monitoring have been found to be more likely to complete the terms of their supervision and less likely to commit technical violations and new crimes, compared to those who were not on electronic monitoring. Further, home-based EM was as effective as GPS in significantly reducing the likelihood of technical violations, committing new crimes, and absconding while under supervision.
Gender and family situation also play a significant role in the success of offenders on EM. Men who lived with significant others while on EM reported receiving positive family support and help with dependent children, but female offenders reported that significant others were a source of stress and conflict impacting their success on EM. Female offenders perceived little support from their partners in assisting them with child care. The inability to leave the home because of EM also affected women's primary caretaker role for dependent children. Overall, success with EM and GPS seems to depend on identifying the type of individual, home, and work situation that creates the most ideal environment for completion without risk to the public.