GPS monitoring will not stop stalkers: criminologist

Electronic monitoring of people subject to restraining orders doesn'tstop them from stalking and harassing victims, two experts familiar with Manitoba's justice system say.

CamilleRunkewas killed on Oct. 30 outside her St.Bonifaceworkplace. Several days later her estranged husband, Kevin Runke, againstwhom she had a restraining order,was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot in a wooded area in the St.Maloarea.

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Runkecomplained to Winnipeg police 22 times between July and October about her husband's alleged harassment. Her sister,MaddieLaberge, said shebelieves a GPS tracker couldhave helpedkeep her sister safe.

Such a move may be neithereffective nor feasible, said KevinWalby, acriminologist at the University of Winnipeg.

"If we start putting electronic monitoring on everyone who's just suspected of a certain kind of activity, such as stalkingor something like that, we'd be putting it on potentially thousands of Manitobans," Walbysaid.

A Canadian pilot program in 2008-11 revealedthe devices have a number of technical problems, including transmittingfalse positives andshort batterylife, said Walby.

Even if the kinks are ironed out,there's little proof the ankle bracelets are much of a deterrent, he said.

"There's no evidence that they themselves, the electronic monitoring devices, decrease any kind of criminal activity."

CoreyShefman,who speaks for the Manitoba Association of Rights and Liberties,believes improvements can be made to protect victims,but he also doesn't think GPS monitoring is the answer.

"I think society at large has to take more seriously the concerns that people like Ms. Runke had," said Shefman.

Victims of stalking and harassment should collect as much evidence as they can against perpetrators, that will helpempower police to take action, he said.

"The most important thing is to keep the police informed. Obviously it didn't help Ms. Runke in this casebut in many other casesit does. This was a very tragic circumstance, but I believe it was an anomaly," Shefman said.

GPS monitoring no deterrent:Walby

A study in Winnipeg from 2007-08looked at the effect electronic bracelets may have on auto theft, said Walby. The deviceswere found to have zero influence onbehaviour. What's more, policedon't have time to respond tobreaches, he said.

"Ultimately if someone wanted to cut it off and commit a breach, they have actually as much time as it takes to track them down," said Walby.

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What has been proven to work are community supports, saidWalby. Whenindividuals are placed under restraining orders and continueto stalk and harass victims, mental health services, among other supports, need to get involved.

"It's actually the broader network of community connections, probation officers, parole officers, social service providers that make the difference," saidWalby.

Province:open to exploring new methods

Manitoba Justice spokesperson Rachel Morgan said the province is open to exploring any method that would make protection orders more effective and women safer.

"We're looking forward to hearing ideas from all sourcesjustice officials, police and people who have sought protectionorders as we formulate new legislation this year," said Morgan.

The province ordered a review ofManitoba's Domestic Violence and Stalking Act in October followingRunke'smurder andthe killing of another Winnipeg woman,Selena Keeper. The 20-year-old's on-again, off-againboyfriend is charged with her homicide.

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On Monday, Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh announced changes to the province's domestic violence legislation could come as early as December, and may include a provision to impose a mandatory firearms ban on anyone who is the subject of a protection order. He said he's open to the idea of ankle bracelets.

"First we want to know that this can help make people safer. second of all it has to be legal of course, we can't be exposing people who are vulnerable women to situations where legal challenges just bog down the need for safety and immediate safety," Mackintosh said,