NCJ Number
219979
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 34 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2007 Pages: 120,122,124
Date Published
July 2007
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes how the Omnilink offender monitoring device and system brings an unprecedented level of control over an offender's movements, allowing agencies to enforce offender accountability and compliance while boosting public safety for potential victims under protection orders as well as the community as a whole.
Abstract
In addition to aiding law enforcement agencies in monitoring offenders on house arrest or probation, Omnilink's wireless tracking device alerts potential victims when a monitored offender under a protection order is in the victim's vicinity in violation of the protection order. This is done by linking the wireless device to the victim's cell phone, such that when the monitoring device is within a certain distance of the cell phone, the phone rings to notify the victim to seek safety until the police arrive. The Omnilink monitoring device can be programmed to various types of monitoring, including time-related curfews, prohibitions against monitored offenders being in certain areas (e.g., pedophiles being in specified areas frequented by children), and continuous tracking no matter where the offender is located. Under the latter monitoring requirement, Omnilink's device uses a precision engine that allows it to locate and track offenders in most impaired environments, including tunnels, armored vehicles, subways, and in and around buildings or water. While GPS (global positioning system) and RF-based (radio frequency) systems are prone to error, Omnilink's cellular and GPS capabilities counterbalance each other for greater location accuracy. The system relies on GPS first and then corrects any deviations through the cellular network. With the wireless tracking, the system recalculates location as soon as line-of-site becomes available in order to ensure the location is accurate to within 12 to 50 feet.