NCJ Number
133411
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 55 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1991) Pages: 31-33
Date Published
1991
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) Community Control "House Arrest Program" is described and evaluated with particular focus on electronic monitoring of court-imposed curfew restrictions.
Abstract
There are currently 24,801 offenders under the supervision of the Florida DOC in southwest Florida. Of these, 3,554 are on community control supervision with 340 on electronic monitoring devices. Experiences and problems encountered with the use of pager devices, continuous and noncontinuous signaling systems, telephone robots with verifying wristlets, automated calling systems with wristlet verifiers, and voice verification systems are described. The role of the electronic monitoring specialist is discussed in reference to that of the community control officer counterpart. In general, the electronic monitoring program in Florida has been successful in that it provided the staff with information about new technologies and the judiciary with an alternative to incarceration and an enhanced supervision product. An electronic monitoring program should be viewed as a tool to enhance the officers ability to effectively supervise the offenders in the community rather than a replacement for the line officer.