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Home Incarceration is Cost-Effective

NCJ Number
122894
Journal
Journal of Offender Monitoring Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (Summer 1989) Pages: 1,4-7
Author(s)
T Gassaway
Date Published
1989
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Two electronic surveillance programs (ESP)s are discussed.
Abstract
In April 1985, Clackamas County Community Corrections (Oregon) implemented an ESP, becoming the first program nationwide to use both the "active" and "passive" technologies for house arrest. Active means that the offender is monitored continuously via radio frequency, wearing a wristlet or anklet device. Passive means the offender is monitored via random telephone calls that require offender verification, while wearing a wristlet or anklet device. The offender must be able to pay a daily fee, have verifiable and consistent employment, a suitable residence, and a phone in working order. The Jefferson County Probation Department is the first "in-house" operated electronic monitoring program in Texas. Computers programmed with the offender's schedule and identifying information summarize each offender's movements and highlight any violations. The percentage of failures in this program is somewhat higher than other programs, but this could be attributed to the fact that higher risk offenders participate in the program.