Government Technology

Sex Offenders' GPS Devices Not a Silver Bullet, States Say



January 31, 2009 By

GPS monitoring -- embraced as a simple technological solution for tracking the whereabouts of convicted sex offenders -- is proving to be something less than a silver bullet for state and local public safety agencies.

Convinced that GPS monitoring was the answer to the sex offender problem, judges and lawmakers began mandating the technology for high-profile parolees. Beginning in 2005, the technology was widely deployed as means to ensure that offenders complied with the terms of their release, such as staying a safe distance from schools or a victim's home.

Monitoring systems typically consist of a GPS receiver/portable tracking device, radio frequency transmitter, stationary charging unit, cellular telephone and computer software to review GPS data. The devices allow officials to track the parolees' whereabouts -- when everything works properly and when offender cooperates.

But there are problems with the way the technology is used and monitored. False alarms number in the thousands in some jurisdictions, straining manpower and casting doubt on the viability of GPS as a tracking tool for high-profile felons.

In Arizona, a 2007 legislative study found more than 35,000 false alerts by 140 subjects wearing the GPS-monitoring devices.


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Comments

leonard Sipes    |    Commented January 29, 2009

See "DC Public Safety" at http://media.csosa.gov for a new television show on GPS supervision of criminal offenders. Radio shows on the same subject are available. DC Public Safety is the social media service of the federal Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency

leonard Sipes    |    Commented January 29, 2009

See "DC Public Safety" at http://media.csosa.gov for a new television show on GPS supervision of criminal offenders. Radio shows on the same subject are available. DC Public Safety is the social media service of the federal Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency

leonard Sipes    |    Commented January 29, 2009

See "DC Public Safety" at http://media.csosa.gov for a new television show on GPS supervision of criminal offenders. Radio shows on the same subject are available. DC Public Safety is the social media service of the federal Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency

ITChief    |    Commented February 13, 2009

Another example of non-technical worshippers of the Silicon God making decisions in hopes that technology will be a panacea.

ITChief    |    Commented February 13, 2009

Another example of non-technical worshippers of the Silicon God making decisions in hopes that technology will be a panacea.

ITChief    |    Commented February 13, 2009

Another example of non-technical worshippers of the Silicon God making decisions in hopes that technology will be a panacea.

Daniel Hock    |    Commented March 19, 2009

My wife and I have the full patent to transmit immediate alerts through cell phones to authorities and the public. This device gives proximity alerts IMMEDIATELY. If PTM would contact me ,this device can be implemented IMMEDIATLY. PTM please call, you have had my patent for 3 years now. Stop the killings.

Daniel Hock    |    Commented March 19, 2009

My wife and I have the full patent to transmit immediate alerts through cell phones to authorities and the public. This device gives proximity alerts IMMEDIATELY. If PTM would contact me ,this device can be implemented IMMEDIATLY. PTM please call, you have had my patent for 3 years now. Stop the killings.

Daniel Hock    |    Commented March 19, 2009

My wife and I have the full patent to transmit immediate alerts through cell phones to authorities and the public. This device gives proximity alerts IMMEDIATELY. If PTM would contact me ,this device can be implemented IMMEDIATLY. PTM please call, you have had my patent for 3 years now. Stop the killings.

Getting down w/ the real for real    |    Commented August 1, 2010

Women and children aren't the only one's who wants to be safe, So what you're saying is is as long as person is not a sex offender, you wouldn't care who lives in your neighborhood ha? . When dealing with Criminals, thugs, armed robbers, stick up boys, home invasions, serial killings,and kidnappings. You think that's fair to the rest of the people who wants to be safe. And at the same time, you want to boost up their self esteem, by granting them more Constitutional Rights, once released to society, than a sex offender. That's cause the Govt. is scared of the regular criminals and thugs. You know they will retaliate and become America's worst nightmare if you discriminate against them. You little cowards. Being that they are straight up killers. But a sex offender 9 times out of 10 he ain't really dangerous, they just manipulate young boys or girls to date them. And you know if you discriminate against them as far as Constitutional Rights. Chances are they are not gonna really do anything about it.

Getting down w/ the real for real    |    Commented August 1, 2010

Women and children aren't the only one's who wants to be safe, So what you're saying is is as long as person is not a sex offender, you wouldn't care who lives in your neighborhood ha? . When dealing with Criminals, thugs, armed robbers, stick up boys, home invasions, serial killings,and kidnappings. You think that's fair to the rest of the people who wants to be safe. And at the same time, you want to boost up their self esteem, by granting them more Constitutional Rights, once released to society, than a sex offender. That's cause the Govt. is scared of the regular criminals and thugs. You know they will retaliate and become America's worst nightmare if you discriminate against them. You little cowards. Being that they are straight up killers. But a sex offender 9 times out of 10 he ain't really dangerous, they just manipulate young boys or girls to date them. And you know if you discriminate against them as far as Constitutional Rights. Chances are they are not gonna really do anything about it.

Getting down w/ the real for real    |    Commented August 1, 2010

Women and children aren't the only one's who wants to be safe, So what you're saying is is as long as person is not a sex offender, you wouldn't care who lives in your neighborhood ha? . When dealing with Criminals, thugs, armed robbers, stick up boys, home invasions, serial killings,and kidnappings. You think that's fair to the rest of the people who wants to be safe. And at the same time, you want to boost up their self esteem, by granting them more Constitutional Rights, once released to society, than a sex offender. That's cause the Govt. is scared of the regular criminals and thugs. You know they will retaliate and become America's worst nightmare if you discriminate against them. You little cowards. Being that they are straight up killers. But a sex offender 9 times out of 10 he ain't really dangerous, they just manipulate young boys or girls to date them. And you know if you discriminate against them as far as Constitutional Rights. Chances are they are not gonna really do anything about it.

shadow    |    Commented August 4, 2010

some people have these damn monitors on there legs and aint true sex offenders i know cuz i got one on cuz when i was 19 a girl lied at a party about her age. so not everyone deserves this torture. these monitors are huge annoying and a eye sore. the goverment needs to learn how to decide whos a real offender or just some one in the wrong place at the wrong time.some ppl on these, ARE real thugs who got screwed by a b----.

shadow    |    Commented August 4, 2010

some people have these damn monitors on there legs and aint true sex offenders i know cuz i got one on cuz when i was 19 a girl lied at a party about her age. so not everyone deserves this torture. these monitors are huge annoying and a eye sore. the goverment needs to learn how to decide whos a real offender or just some one in the wrong place at the wrong time.some ppl on these, ARE real thugs who got screwed by a b----.

shadow    |    Commented August 4, 2010

some people have these damn monitors on there legs and aint true sex offenders i know cuz i got one on cuz when i was 19 a girl lied at a party about her age. so not everyone deserves this torture. these monitors are huge annoying and a eye sore. the goverment needs to learn how to decide whos a real offender or just some one in the wrong place at the wrong time.some ppl on these, ARE real thugs who got screwed by a b----.


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