P.E.I. ankle bracelet pilot program a success, say probation officials

Probation officialsare calling for electronic ankle bracelets to become a permanent part of the P.E.I. justice system.

They say the results of a year-long pilot program have proven the worth of the monitoring devices.

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"It really creates accountability for offenders," said AllanCurley, manager of theelectronic supervision program for the Department of Justice and Public Safety."It ensures safety for the general public, especially for those who need extra protection, such as victims of domestic violence.We know where the offender is, every sixty seconds of every day."

Continuous monitoring

Over the past year, 30 offenders tookpart in P.E.I.'s ankle-bracelet pilot project.

The GPS devices provided probation staff with continuous monitoring of the location of offenders on probation andunder house arrest.

During the pilot project, three of the 30 participants werecharged for probation violations.

At no time were victims approached by those offenders, according to officials.

After hundreds of hours of use, probation official say the technology has proven useful,as an alternative to custody and to keep victims safe.

'It gives dignity'

"We had surprisingly few alarms," said Curley. "It gives dignity and hope to offenders as they move back into the community."

About 800 offenders on P.E.I.are on probation at any given time, according to justice officials.

Probation officers have to check in with most of those offenders by phone and in person.

Seeking permanent program

Ankle bracelets cost $12.49 a day to operate, according to officials a fraction of the cost of keeping someone in custody.

The pilot program runs until the end of March.

Curley will submit a report to government in April, seeking to make ankle bracelets an on-going part of the justice system.

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