LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Sir – Electronic monitoring devices could soon be used on youth offenders to closely monitor and track their movements when they are released from prison or when on bail. Currently youths can only be bailed with electronic monitoring by an order from the Supreme Court.
The technology is already being used on adult prisoners across the Northern Territory with inmates at the Barkly Work Camp at Tennant Creek the first to be fitted.
There are now 108 offenders and prisoners in locations including Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs wearing the device.
They are either serving out their sentence or on parole or other community based orders. We are now looking to extend this so that the courts are able to order an offender to wear the bracelet as part of strict bail conditions.
The technology sends electronic signals to a manned control room, and is able to detect whether a person is in breach of any curfew or “no go” areas.
Electronic alcohol monitoring devices will be trialled this year. The Giles Government allocated $1m in Budget 2015.
John Elferink (pictured)
Minister for Correctional Services
Saturday, April 20, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
On paper, this is a good idea. However, it has been a spectacular failure in other places.
For example, one Canadian province decided to fit all youth who stole cars with them – and offending rates went up because the monitors became “must have” fashion accesories.
Would that happen in the Territory? Have you seen a kid in a hoody lately?
While bail checks are a burden on police resources and there is a real need to find an alternative, the limitations – and potential problems – of the devices should be considered.
How can they monitor the youths with this device when they cannot monitor prisoners in the holding cells efficiently after having one die under police custody in Alice Springs, due to the officers busy on the internet?