Citizens too can pay for ankle-bracelet monitoring

WHILE the courts determine how much an accused will pay for his ankle monitor, they can also determine whether a victim will also have to fork out cash to have someone who allegedly wronged them monitored.

Deputy director of the Electronic Monitoring Unit (EMU) Lawrence Hinds told Newsday that in an instance where a spouse may seek a restraining order, a request can be made to have the offender monitored.

That request, if approved, can cost the applicant the daily rate of monitoring, which ranges between $8 and $11.

He explained: "Let's say you and your spouse have an argument and your spouse proceeds to the court to take out a protection order, That is sort of a private matter. Through the protection order there can be monitoring. So in that case there was no deliberate attempt of harm on the individual. This is a more in-house, societal argument. If the parties can afford the device then there may be a consideration."

Hinds said in all cases, the courts decide who will pay and how much. There will be means tests for those who will be required to be monitored, with either the state paying the full cost or the accused paying part or the full cost of being monitored.

Home confinement is the most expensive, with a daily cost of $11.

At the launch of the scheme, Hinds said there were three people under home confinement. He added that one of the prerequisites for being monitored was to live in an area where there is at least moderate signal strength.

The electronic monitoring system was launched last Friday, nine years after the Administration of Justice (Electronic Monitoring) Act became law.

The ankle bracelets are equipped with GPS tracking. They are an alternative to incarcerating accused people and will be used as a bail requirement for certain charges including domestic violence and sexual offences. Those charged with treason or murder will not be eligible for electronic monitoring.

Delivery, installation and maintenance for three years will cost approximately $10.3 million, and the annual staff cost will be $1.7 million.

Anyone found tampering with or removing one of the devices is liable to a fine of $100,000 or imprisonment for two years.