NCJ Number
129632
Journal
Journal of Offender Monitoring Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (Fall 1989) Pages: 1-14
Date Published
1989
Length
14 pages
Annotation
After discussing the objectives of the electronic monitoring of offenders in the community, this article reports on the results of the electronic monitoring of a sample of serious offenders in Texas.
Abstract
Several populations have been selected for electronic surveillance in Texas so as to provide an alternative to imprisonment for certain serious offenders. This study tracked a sample of 79 offenders removed from electronic surveillance in September 1988. The sample was divided among four broad categories of offenders: adult parolees, adult probationers, juvenile parolees, and juvenile probationers. All subjects were placed under electronic surveillance as an alternative to institutional commitment. The study concludes that different caseloads will respond differently to the program restrictions. Persons placed on electronic surveillance as a reward for good institutional behavior will generally perform better than those placed on electronic surveillance as a punitive measure in lieu of institutionalization. If the program is designed to prevent future antisocial behavior or apprehend offenders who already have a high recidivism rate, however, a higher rate of revocation can be considered a measure of program effectiveness. Overall, the study concludes that electronic surveillance can work with high-risk offenders. 5 footnotes