TALLAHASSEE - Evoking the slaying of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia, Florida law enforcement officials descended on the state Capitol Wednesday to urge key lawmakers to invest $35-million next year to keep minute-by-minute track of thousands of paroled criminals.
Pitched as the next technological revolution in crime-fighting and already up and running in four Florida counties including Pinellas and Citrus, the VeriTracks system uses global positioning technology to track criminals released from jail or prison. It then cross-references those locations nightly with criminal activity.
Note that many of these systems are not doing real-time reporting of location. The device constantly records where the wearer is at. But it has to be downloaded at the end of a day to find where the parolee has been. This delayed reporting is a lot cheaper because systems that use real-time tracking have to do frequent transmissions of information via automated cellular messaging. However, more expensive models support real-time reporting of locations of wearers as they move around throughout the day and night. More on that below.
Florida has been one of the most aggressive states in using satellite technology to track criminals. The Department of Corrections uses "active" GPS for about 400 probationers, mostly sex offenders and people who've committed violent crimes. About another 150 are monitored with "passive" GPS which checks offenders whereabouts less often.
The main company that provides the tracking system, Pro Tech, is based in Florida. Its system is used in 33 states.
On any given day, 5 million offenders in the U.S. are either on probation, parole or some other form of community supervision. These same offenders account for 33% of violent crimes. These staggering statistics led to the founding of Pro Tech Monitoring, Inc. and the creation of SMART® System Technology.
The key components of the SMART® Active Tracking System are a Portable Tracking Device (PTD), ankle bracelet, charging stand, and GPS satellites.
Offenders are fitted with a tamper-resistant ankle bracelet and assigned a PTD to keep near them at all times. The ankle bracelet acts as an "electronic tether" which transmits signals to the PTD.
The PTD uses GPS signals and a wireless network to locate and report an offender's every move. The PTD monitors the signal strength of the GPS satellites to ensure accurate location information and incorporates a motion detector to monitor movement in areas of insufficient GPS signal strength. Pro Tech's Offender Tracking Center (OTC) monitors this information. The PTD is equipped with an LCD, used to notify the offender of violations and for sending text messages from the agency. This patented communication capability has demonstrated it's effectiveness in modifying offender behavior and reducing recidivism.
Authorities can even create multiple Inclusion and Exclusion zones, and be notified by fax, pager or email whenever a zone violation occurs.
Note the use of Inclusion and Exclusion zones. Depending on the implemention the real-time reporting devices can utilize this capability to reduce the cost of reporting because the wireless reporting method can be used to do real-time reports only when a criminal enters a forbidden zone or is moving around in a forbidden zone.
Minnesota is also using the Pro Tech Monitoring devices.
On average, offenders will use the devices for six months. The technology will cost the Corrections Department $175,000 to $200,000 a year based on the annual release of about 45 Level 3 offenders. The daily cost of about $17 for the technology and vendor expenses is in addition to the $20 daily expense for monitoring offenders on intensive supervision.
Another supplier of this type of equipment, iSecureTrac, is selling to a number of jurisdictions around the United Sates including jurisdictions in Florida and Mississippi.
Court Programs will place tracNET24 units on a wide range of offenders including deadbeat dads, juveniles, domestic violence and misdemeanor cases, and those on pre-trial release for felonies. By adopting tracNET24, Court Programs is providing Mississippi and Florida with the most advanced offender tracking available. The device allows authorities to monitor, via a satellite system, the whereabouts of offenders who are outfitted with small 12-ounce personal tracking units (PTU). A PTU receives signals from the Department of Defense's GPS satellite system and after the PTU is docked for charging, the PTU downloads the offenders' movements into a database accessed by correction officials. In addition, authorities may program exclusion areas, places where the presence of an offender is prohibited; such as certain residences, schools, and child care facilities. tracNET24 gives authorities verifiable records of where offenders have been, 24 hours per day, seven days a week.
The more expensive iSecureTrac model is also capable of real-time reporting of violations of exclusion zones.
Currently only law enforcement agencies and the companies that sell these devices have access to the position data that is collected. However, if public demands ever arose for wider access this could easily be done with current technology. Imagine, for instance, the ability of, for instance, a battered women to get a beeper that would notify her in real-time when her ex-husband was too close to her current location. She would need to wear a similar device (unless at home or some other fixed location) that would report where she was so that the central database could compare that to the location of some guy who is a threat to her.
There are a lot of other possible uses of this technology. Schools could get real-time reports of convicted pedophiles in their vicinity. Also, night clubs could be notified when a convicted rapist enters their premises or shopping mall security could be notified to watch someone in a parking lot..
The key to using real-time data to allow people to avoid criminals is that a person's location must be compared to another person's location. That requires a huge of real-time messaging of the location of both criminals and of the far larger population non-criminals in order to do the comparison. However, one way around that problem would be to add to a criminal's worn device a transmitter that is constantly broadcasting his location with a low power radio transmitter over a distance of, say, a half mile. Then anyone in the larger population could just use a radio receiver coupled to an embedded computer to notify that a criminal is nearby. Buildings could contain such receivers and building security could be alerted automatically when known criminals are nearby. The notifications could be filtered by types of previous convictions or other characteristics.
The ability to track the locations of people has a lot of other applications of course. As the tracking devices become smaller and cheaper expect to see parents putting them in their children both to protect their children from kidnapping and also simply to find out what trouble the kids are getting themselves into.
Another possible interesting application would be to manage affinity groups. Imagine a traveller who is cruising down a road trying to decide which night club to try out. If people registered with an affinity tracking service then a traveller could choose a club or restaurant whose currently present patrons fit some desired demographic profile. One obvious problem with such a service is that just because one person likes a particular type of person doesn't mean that most who fit a desired profile will like that person in return. Look at celebrities for example. They are loved by all sorts of people who the celebrities would very much like to avoid. So a service would need to develop eligibility criteria that require matching of preferences in both directions before that person driving down the street would get a flashing light on their car LCD pointing them to a particular bar or night club.
By Randall Parker at 2004 March 08 11:43 AM Surveillance Society | TrackBackSeems rather "bing brotherish" to me. Dan
I do like your idea about streaming the content of such monitoring to every citizen. I do not like the thought of government exclusivity to information of this type. Public disclosure and transparency of the information are needed to keep this from becoming Big Brother.
My fiance' is sitting in jail because of too many braclet gone messages to his box. The Pro-tech company have been to our home many times to change out the braclet. Then recently change out the box. The Gps system does not work well under medal buildings. However my fiance goes to work, which he is on camera at all times. Then he comes straight home. Well here in clearwater,florida the dept. of corrections had my fiance arrested or too many braclet gones. So the Gps is not working properly, and he is on probation for 15 years at age 23 now, and I am pregnant, and because I had to pay for a lawyer and their is a BIG chance my fiance will go to jail for 13 years. Because according to Gps system that can not see my fiance on the computer then that is an automatic violation and a no tolerant oridance. I may not have a father for the baby for the next 13 years because I am pregnant and stressed out!!!!!VERY UPSET IN CLEARWATER FLORIDA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This system is definately a future device that will be used by the government to track all citizens. This device will become an implant into the forehead or right hand, clearly a part of the Mark of the beast talk about in scriptures
have you any documentation on victims of such device, that a citizen can be privy to.I am not a prisoner, and I am not affiliated with the correctional services in any way, and have not given consent to any such, to have this surveillance mantained. I have not been accused of anything.( I am a born quebecer/canadian.)
My request for this data is to support the possiblity that I have been a victim of this criminal act. It is without social, political, nor personal reason that this criminal surveillance be maintained, and I am not getting the public support I need to have this checked, confirend, and removed. (I do not have the financial means to just pay for a trace etc..)I also feel that those I have asked for help to confirm, check, for this possible chip; seem to be influenced by slander, and remain hostile, always mentioning their ambivalence that such an error could be possible in canada.
Thank you
Kellie
I am presently on a GPS system and it sucks. I am not allowed to go out my front door. I can't do things i want to do cause the justice system is to damn slow. So far it has been 3 months having this big black thing attached to my ankle. Not a single person letting me know whats going on. I have no clue when this thing is coming off. if anybody knows anything about the laws on this thing Please i am begging you. Please contact me.
Dan: I met "Bing" Brother at a golf tournament a few years back. Nice guy.
Sarah: I see the tracking devices less as the mark of the beast but more like one of those yellow bracelets for charity that the kids are wearing these days. A fashion statement, and for a good cause.
DeAnna: Clarification: are you saying your fiance will go to jail for 15 years because of a faulty gps bracelet?
Kellie: I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you wearing a bracelet? Are you falsely accused of a crime? Do you want to trace someone? No one can help you if you can't explain your situation properly.
Robyn: Would you rather be in your house waiting trial or jail?
Blueshift: The only coherent post here and I agree wholeheartedly.
I was wondering if there are any people who are on home arrest with Midwest Monitoring. If so, are any of you experiencing any problems with your monitor?
I am on one and it keeps saying that I missed some of my monitoring times and it has also said that I was out of range when I was not.
Also does anyone know of where to get a monitor tested other than the company that it came from, to see if there is a problem with it?
If you answer to any of these please send it to my e-mail address. cecelianikolas@msn.com
Thanks
I am a prisoner without handcuffs. I am tracked everywhere I go and watched 24 hours a day - in my home or outside of it - in my car or walking. I have not been accused of a crime, arrested, or had charges filed against me. I wish they would do so, so that I could defend myself. Everyone deserves a fair trial. I am harassed by everyone here and followed everywhere I go, either by someone in a car or on foot. Neighbors fire guns when I go outside, simply to harass me. I'm insulted and called names. And I have not even been charged or convicted of a crime! What would they do if I had actually committed a crime? I need help in finding out who it doing this to me. Evidently everyone believes all the evil things being said about me. All of this started 10 years ago after I was in an aol chat room with a male who said he was 21 years old. I never met with him, nor made plans to meet with anyone. I am the victim here and I don't know how to escape from the hell and prison without bars that I am in. GPS is a crime against humanity and should be blown up. ode>uld appreciate any advice and help that anyone can give.
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Currently, my brother is on an GPS device. I came home from work and noticed a little black box in my room. I felt very uncomfortable about this box. I had no idea what it was used for. He told me nothing on what it was, or what it was used for, so i turned to the internet. Sure enough i found out, and im a little worried. What are the ankle bracelets used for?? What type of crime?? Felony?
With the GPS monotoring device, I am curious about the distance one wearing an ankle braclet can be away from the base before an alert is issued. The reason curious is if at work want to know how far one can be from base so won't have to carry on his person all the time. Would appreciate a rely to my email address: christa.ryan3@verizon.net.
i was sentence to wearing the braclet for two months however during this two month my jobs christmas party falls 3 days before i'm to officailly have it removed
i received permission to attend the party my concern is where the party is bing held i have to go through a check point like walking through an airport check point and being searched with a wound i would like will it set it off to save me the embrassent i would like to know or should i just warn security that i have the braclet on
i would appreciate any comment anyone could provide
I am currently on GPS monitoring in Miami, FL. I have a TERRIBLE officer who has violated me twice on technicalities. Today while I went to the bathroom AT WORK the door handle broke and I was locked in there for about 5-6 minutes. When I got back into my office my unit was beeping "bracelet gone". Does anybody know what the time limit for the "bracelet gone" violations before the issue a violation of probation??? I'm really worried since I'm due to be taken off the bracelet next week. Please e-mail me at miamiladee@yahoo.com if you know what the time limit is.
Thank you.
Maritza
i have been on the ankle monitor 4 almost 5 mos. yes it sucks but basicaly it is the only thing keeping u out of the big house.until u go to court and they decide your sentence.there is no time limit to not be at your box whene your time comes due.for example mine is 5:00,and u bet your sweet ass at 5:00 u better be at that box.or your box alerts your person who monitors u.
HI. I am on the GPS system in Indiana and I was wondering if anyone could tell me why does my box go off all the time even though I am doing what I am supposed to do.. I have one of the newer models which includes a ankle braclet,a charging stand and a black box that I must carry at all times except when I am at home.. The box will go off for no reason like when I am sitting at home it will tell me to return home or when I am at home it will tell me to leave the area now... I was wondering if I have a faulty box or what.. I have been on this for about three months.. It has been like this since the day i brought it home... Please send a reply to my email adress at despurlin18@yahoo.com... Thanks alot.. Oh by the way I see it as "would you rather deal with this or sit in jail " it is really your choice because as long as you prove you are doing what you are supposed to your officer should work with you.. It is the ones that arent doing what needs to be done that are messing up..
Ok.. My wife has to be under house arrest for 6 months,with an ankle device.. My question is what are my rights? I have not done anything,yetI must give up my telephone special services,and my ISP if its dial up,and my right to bear arms. Anyone know what I can do R S.
I am on a GPS system in Mesa, AZ. This morning at 3 a.m. I was awoken by a yelling pre-trial officer (I have not been convicted) saying that I was out of range between the hours of 2:13 a.m. to 2:53a.m. I went to sleep before 10:30 p.m. last night and never woke up until he showed up. I was supposed to have this removed last Tuesday because this is an extreme measure for my charges, but my pre-trial officer never sent my paperwork to the judge so we rescheduled. He now says he'll be sure to get my paperwork that he never sent over before over to the judge Monday morning saying I left my home when I was not supposed to. I swear on everything holy, I was home asleep in bed. I have been on this for 3 months now, never a violation, why on earth would I leave for 45 minutes days before I'm going to get this removed?!! This system DOES NOT work. I am innocent and I am taking this all the way to trial, except my funds are now low because this has limited my ability to work and I have made $2K in the last 3 months. I don't know what to do about my money right now, and now I cant even pick up a night job because they won't let me off. My charges are non-violent and non-sex offender. This is ridiculous to be on this before I have even had a fair trial.
Im on this gps pro-tec device in Texas. Im trying to find out that if I can put a filter on my phome hook up that is used for dsl internet line that i have from atat. I know that we can not have any thing hooked up to the phome line, and that we are to have a basic phome line with no features. But with this filter you have no interference while using both the internet and the phone. Wondering if this has been taken into consideration. Tried calling pro tec and they will not release about thier equiptment uless I have authorization. Parole will only say dont hook it up. They are not certian. Just wanting to rid myself of two phome lines if I know this would work using the filter for dsl. Anyone who can help would be greatly appreciated.
Hi if any body can tell me this it will be very helpful I have only been on house arrest for 8 days and not schedule to be off until May 2008 have the GPS and the braclet just like most of everybody and have to be home by a certain time an can't leave. But while on probation/house arrest does your officer tell you what to drive and also tell you that you have to cut at least half of your work schedule like taken half of your paycheck from you say of instinct you work 60 hour but they say you can only work 30 and want you to ask your family to help you pay your bills why on house arrest for 5 or 6 months. I have seach all over the web trying to find out these answer but cant find them. And is you GPS suppose to talk are make a noise because mind don't it just stay red why I am in a car are building and green while it is in sunlight and yellow why at home but most of the time it is red if anybody can answer any of these question please get at me an in the mean time keep GOD first because I do beause remember we can be in that place. Peace
I am about to be put on house arrest and was wondering how extensive the search of the house is going to be?
I was put on house arrest yesterday, with the ankle bracelet and the unit plugged into the phone line, and today it beeped 3 or 4 times while I was in the laundry room a few feet away from the unit and said "no connection", but i was at home where I was supposed to be. The washing machine was on in the laundry room, would that interrupt the frequency? It's friday, and they're not available to answer my questions; I'm scared they're going to come haul me off to jail?!
I need to know how many times you guys have changed out someone's box because it failed. thank you for answering