MONITORING COMPLIANCE AND BEHAVIOR

  Jeff Druski is Marketing Director of an Omaha company called iSECUREtrac.  They have developed technology to effectively and efficiently monitor the location and actions of an individual.  Druski explained they use a combination of GPS tracking devices and computer software, cellular phone service, and Internet communications to monitor a device being worn by an individual.  This can be done actively in real time or passively with periodic reporting.  The system is useful for monitoring a person for being in compliance with judicial actions and for modifying the behavior of a person.  Druski noted that the department of corrections of various states and county sheriff and city police departments are primary users of the technology.  At a cost of about $8/da the use of monitoring devices is much cheaper than jail incarceration for low risk offenders.  Durski explained that there are many applications of personal monitoring in the judicial process.  It could be used for the accused as an alternative to jail before trial, and it could be used as a supplement to incarceration for early release, work release, and furloughs.  Furthermore it is useful during probation and for parole monitoring.  Durski stated that for low risk offenders the use of personal monitors reduces the jail population and can have a positive effect on their behavior.  Personal monitoring is presently most used in probation and parole situations, Durski noted, but is being studied to reduce truancy of high school students, where it seems to be effective in behavior modification.  Other areas of application are in reducing domestic violence, and non-payment of child support.  Durski noted the technology doesn’t keep a crime from happening, but it can immediately identify an action against the law for those being monitored and can report it to officials.  Use of the technology can result in a dramatic reduction of violations of court orders, parole terms, etc.