NCJ Number
213932
Journal
Criminology & Public Policy Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2006 Pages: 61-92
Date Published
May 2006
Length
32 pages
Annotation
Using data on 75,661 offenders placed on home confinement with electronic monitoring (EM) in Florida from 1998 to 2002, this study examined the effectiveness of EM for serious offenders.
Abstract
The study found that offenders on home confinement with EM were significantly more likely to have committed a violent offense compared with offenders on home confinement but without EM. Also, offenders on home confinement with global-positioning-system (GPS) monitoring were more likely than those with radio frequency monitoring to have committed a violent offense. Further, offenders on home confinement with EM had a greater likelihood of a prison sentence than offenders on home confinement without EM. EM was found to be effective in reducing the likelihood of reoffending and absconding while on home confinement. Both RF and GPS significantly reduced the likelihood of revocation for a new offense and absconding from supervision, even when controlling for sociodemographic characteristics of the offender, current offense, prior record, and term of supervision. GPS and RF were equally effective in preventing revocations and absconding for violent, property, and drug offenders on home confinement. These findings suggest that EM has been selectively reserved for serious offenders and has not resulted in a "net-widening" effect in its use with minor offenders on home confinement. The authors conclude that EM is an effective public safety tool in supervising serious offenders in the community. Study data were obtained from the Florida Department of Correction's Offender-based Information System. The sample consisted of 75,661 offenders placed on home confinement from 1998 to 2002. A separate analysis was conducted for each of the three outcome measures: revocation for a technical violation, revocation for a new offense, and absconding. 6 tables and 68 references