NCJ Number
137612
Date Published
1990
Length
64 pages
Annotation
A 1-year evaluation of the South Carolina Electronic Monitoring Pilot Program was conducted, although too few clients were enrolled to enable statistical analysis of the effectiveness of the project.
Abstract
Fifteen clients were diverted from prison to the program between July 1988 and June 1989. The effect of the diversion on the criminal justice system was negligible because of the small number of clients and the high percentage who were returned to prison. This high rate of prison returns was caused by initial equipment failure and the participation of high-risk clients. The pilot program was designed to avoid net-widening or the provision of services to those who would not have been sentenced to prison in the first place; thus the program mostly served those offenders who were likely to be returned to prison, namely parole violators. The evaluation found that a potential savings of $3 million could be accrued to the criminal justice system by using electronic monitoring programs statewide. However, electronic monitoring should be seen as only one component in a home confinement program. 9 tables, 64 notes, 29 references, and 45 appendixes