The province’s new ankle bracelet monitoring program coming into effect this month is good news for Alberta and the community-at-large, increasing public safety while ensuring offenders are closely watched.
Whether the program will result in a long term reduction in overall crime by deterring potential offenders remains anyone’s guess.
What is known is that using this technology to keep offenders in line and prevent those same offenders from committing further crimes is in everyone’s best interest.
Under the program, high-risk offenders and accused persons deemed to pose a significant risk to the public may now be subject to 24-hour court-ordered electronic monitoring by Alberta Correctional Services (ACS).
Offenders under court-ordered electronic monitoring conditions will be required to wear a global position system tracking device monitored by the ACS.
“We are taking an important step towards combating rising crime,” said Mike Ellis, minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services. “High-risk offenders pose a significant risk to public safety and require enhanced supervision in the community.
“Ankle bracelet electronic monitoring is another tool in the toolbox for courts to consider when determining sentencing or bail conditions, helping us combat rising crime and create safer Alberta communities.”
The monitoring system may help ensure that offenders are kept away from restricted areas where they are prohibited to attend, including the residences of victims, witnesses and others.
All too often these days, news comes out about repeat offenders committing crimes after being released on bail or from custody.
Time and time again, repeat offenders have targeted farms, ranches, acreages, businesses, industrial sites, and homes in this district and elsewhere in the province.
With the costs of jailing offenders continuing to rise, alternative programs such as this new monitoring initiative are a good way to deal with those same offenders.
Alberta is spending about $2.8 million on this new high-risk offender monitoring program and it will be money well spent if it ends up doing what it is designed to do, increasing public safety by keeping offenders on the straight and narrow.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
