House arrest programs range from simply adding curfews to the offender's parole or probation conditions to totally restricting the offender's freedom in everything but limited activities approved by the court. Some programs monitor compliance using electronic equipment. Other programs use probation officers' telephone calls and random home visits. About 28 States operate formal intensive probation supervision programs, with house arrest being the most stringent. All programs try to identify low risk candidates, using formal screening devices or simply excluding those convicted of certain crimes. House arrest costs less than jail and allows offenders with families to contribute to their support. However, information about recidivism is not available. Nevertheless, house arrest minimizes the social and psychological costs of incarceration and can be tailored to meet individual needs. Several issues remain unresolved, and concerns center on whether house arrest will be used for people unlikely to have been sentenced to prison, whether surveillance will replace rehabilitation, whether public safety will be compromised, and whether the program will discriminate against young, poor, and black people. However, house arrest programs have promise as a way of dealing with prison overcrowding.