We are trying to find out if anyone makes a delayed-reporting passive-tag electronic monitoring system that we could use for home confinement as a community-based sanction. We need something that is:
· Inexpensive.
· Easy to use.
· Only require that an offender has electricity in his home.
· And, requires little set up time.
Currently we have few feasible intermediate sanctions for minor supervision violations that meet the above criteria. For example:
1. We cannot rely on the offender’s word that he would comply.
2. Voice identification technologies are relatively inexpensive, but:
· They require that the offender have a land-based phone.
· Are hit and miss.
· Requires some set-up time to teach the system to recognize the offender’s voice.
· And, late night early and morning calls are disruptive.
3. Home visits do not require a land-based phone, but:
· Are time consuming
· Expensive.
· Are hit and miss.
· And, can be disruptive.
4. Real-time active-tag land-based phone EMS is less disruptive, but:
· Is expensive (because of the real-time and active-tag features).
· Requires a land-based phone.
· And, has considerable set-up time.
5. GPS EMS does not require a land-based phone, but:
· Is even more expensive.
· And, has considerable set-up time.
Here is how we foresee using a delay-reporting passive-tag EMS. At the beginning of supervision, we will place an ID bracelet on every offender’s ankle. It would be similar to the ones used in hospitals. Imbedded within the bracelet is a passive RFID tag with a unique ID number. The tag would be similar to what is used in discount stores to prevent theft. The circuit would be made operable when the bracelet is fastened. Cutting the bracelet off would make it inoperable. We would maintain a database that stored the offenders tag ID and their State ID.
I would imagine that the bracelet and passive tags would be very inexpensive.
Each probation office would also have several small-range transponders. They would probably be about the size of a cell-phone battery charger. They would include:
· A transmitter.
· A receiver.
· An antenna.
· Erasable programmable read only memory.
· An internal *** (for date and time).
· A rechargeable battery (to keep the clock operating when the transponder is not plugged in).
· UBS port.
· Electric outlet prongs.
I imagine that this system would not be too expensive. Probably far less than real-time land-based phone EMS equipment.
There would also need to be software that can read the transponder’s data and present it in a easily readable display.
If an offender committed a minor violation, the agent could sanctions him, for example, with weekend home detention. The offender would be confined, for the most part, to a single room (of his choosing) in his home. The agent would:
· Connect the transponder into his/her computer.
· Reset the memory.
· Check to be sure the date and time is correct.
· Give the transponder to the offender.
· Instruct the offender to:
o Go home.
o Go to a room.
o Plug the transponder into an electric outlet.
o Stay in that room all weekend (except to go to the bathroom or to get food, etc.).
o Unplug the transponder after the confinement period and bring it to the probation office.
Once plugged in, the transponder would record the date and time of each transmission and the ID number of any tag response.
When the transponder was returned, the agent would connect it to his/her computer and the software would show if the offender was compliant.
Does anyone make a product similar to this?