How does Electronic Monitoring Work?
The technology used in Scotland is radio frequency tagging. The offender wears an unobtrusive transmitter (tagging device) on his or her ankle or wrist which emits a signal that is picked up by a monitoring unit when the offender is within range.
The monitoring unit is linked by a telephone line to a central computer system situated within the Service Provider control centre where the information about the offender's presence or absence during the restriction period at the restiction address is permanently stored.
If the offender leaves the range of the monitoring unit, the central computer system will be alerted. It is not possible to remove the tag and leave home unmonitored without the central computer system being alerted. Any tampering with the electronic monitoring unit alerts the central computer and is acted upon immediately.
What happens if an offender fails to comply?
The design of electronic monitoring means that all failures to comply with the electronic monitoring condition are reported to the Electronic Monitoring Service Provider who will then submit a report to the relevant authority i.e courts, Scottish Prison Service, Parole Board or the Children's Hearing System. The Electronic Monitoring Service Provider has no discretion where breach is concerned.
Why use Electronic Monitoring?
Electronic monitoring gives offenders the opportunity to break their cycle of offending behaviour and to stabilise their daily routines. It allows offenders to remain with their families, rebuild relationships and take responsibility for their actions. It can be used to restrict their movements at times when they might otherwise become involved in offending behaviour.
Find Out more
- Use of Electronic monitoring to support Restriction of Liberty Orders
- Use of Electronic monitoring as a condition of a Probation Order
- Use of Electronic monitoring as a condition of a Drug Treatment and Testing Order
- Use of Electronic Monitoring to support Home Detention Curfew (HDC)
- Electronic monitoring is also available on the recommendation of the Parole Board as a condition of a release licence for prisoners subject to statutory supervision.
- The Children's Hearings System has the power to impose conditions restricting the movement of a young person. Where it is agreed that tagging is the best course of action, an intensive community based service covering all of the young person's needs will be put in place to support these arrangements, creating an Intensive Support and Monitoring Service (ISMS).