Law Enforcement’s Use of GPS
From the DC Public Safety Blog
Law Enforcement’s and Community Correction’s Use of GPS
By Leonard A. Sipes, Jr.
Brian Glover is an eight-year veteran of Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He patrols the fifth district in northeast D.C. A couple of years ago, he heard something about the local parole and probation authority putting criminal offenders on Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking.
“I started to notice that some of the offenders we run into were wearing cell phones on their right ankles. So, I took a training course offered by the parole and probation people and learned that I can track the movements of these guys right from the computer in my car, and I think that this is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Every time a crime is committed in my patrol area, I can find out if one of these guys was at the crime scene or close by.”
Lt. Michael J. Farish (a supervisor working on homicides, cold cases and special investigations) likes the capabilities GPS brings to criminal investigations. “Maybe the most important tool in the use of GPS is not the ability to place an offender at the crime scene, although that happens, but the ability to tell who was in the immediate area. We track these people down and get important leads that solve homicides and a variety of additional crimes. They may not have done the crime, but they may know who did. Or maybe this person was holding the gun or driving the get-away car or just out for a smoke. But just having someone close to the crime scene can produce valuable information.”
Capt. Mario Patrizio (Commander of Special Investigations) knew immediately in 2006 that the use of GPS on offenders was going to be an important investigative tool. “Our detectives are mandated to check the list of new crimes against the GPS data. Every day, we do hundreds of checks.” …
From same article
In February of 2006, the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the Florida State University published a paper evaluating Florida’s statewide home confinement and electronic monitoring program, Under Surveillance: An Empirical Test of the Effectiveness and Consequences of Electronic Monitoring. The study found that “Overall, Florida’s program is found to provide an effective public safety alternative to prison for serious offenders, including those convicted of murder/manslaughter, sex offenses, robbery, and other violent offenses.” The report continues…”our findings indicate that electronic monitoring actually reduces the likelihood of revocation for a technical violation for offenders on home confinement. More importantly, electronic monitoring also reduces the likelihood of revocation for a new offense and the likelihood of absconding which demonstrates a positive effect on public safety.”
The study, which included offenders placed on home confinement through radio frequency monitoring as well as those on and GPS/satellite tracking is consistent with our experience in Washington, D.C….
From same article
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) data for parole and probation (see Parole and Probation Statistics—Adults on probation, and Adults on parole– spreadsheets, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pandp.htm) state that there were 12,232 offenders on electronic monitoring on parole and 17,763 on electronic monitoring for probation in 2006.
The term electronic monitoring does not necessarily indicate the use of GPS or Satellite tracking. Electronic monitoring could include radio frequency devices tethered to a telephone for supervision in the home or immediate area.
The use of GPS tracking is growing throughout the country. Peggy Conway is the editor of The Journal of Offender Monitoring. She states, “To date the number offenders being tracked in the US has grown by more than 60% each year.”
Articled Continued
Read Complete Article DC Public Safety Blog
Related Article from the Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability
an office of the Florida Legislature Office of Program Policy Analysis (November 2007) Electronic Monitoring Expanded to Target Communities’ More Dangerous Offenders
The College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the Florida State University published paper Under Surveillance: An Empirical Test of the Effectiveness and Consequences of Electronic Monitoring (pdf)
