NCJ Number
214406
Date Published
2005
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This British study examined the effectiveness of using electronic monitoring (tagging) with juveniles on bail compared to using custodial detention.
Abstract
The electronic tagging of juveniles on bail or on remand to "local authority accommodation" (LAA) was used in 1 percent of court remands given to juveniles in Great Britain in 2002/03. Electronic tagging was apparently reserved for habitual offenders; juveniles who were tagged on bail/remand to LAA had committed an average of just over seven offenses each. In the sample (n=315) examined, fewer juveniles violated their remand conditions after being tagged, compared to their previous untagged periods on remand; however, those who continued to violate remand conditions did so more often after they were tagged. Tagged youth who were interviewed indicated that tagging helped them improve compliance with remand conditions by giving them an excuse for not associating with friends who might get them into trouble. Workers with Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) indicated that tagging was most likely to improve compliance when it was accompanied by a comprehensive supervision plan. Although there was some evidence that courts used tagging as an alternative to custodial/secure remand, the evidence was inconclusive. Sources of data and information for this research were a literature review of relevant studies, data from the YOTs' information systems, Youth Justice Board statistics, data from electronic monitoring contractors, and qualitative interviews with YOT staff and juveniles tagged while on bail. The sample of 315 juveniles constituted a census of all juveniles who were subject to tagged bail during the 21 months from April 2002 in the 28 YOTs that returned data. 5 figures and 10 references