Many of us would think that all defendants that are on an alcohol or GPS monitors are doing so as part of their sentencing. In fact, over half are doing so voluntarily or as a court ordered condition of release. More and more judges are ordering alcohol monitors when they see that the defendant has a Blood Alcohol Reading that is two or more times the legal limit or other serious alcohol related charges such as an accident with injuries, fleeing and eluding as well as endangering a minor.
Judges are also ordering monitoring to determine the seriousness of a client’s drinking to cause the defendant to focus on the root cause that brought them into the criminal justice system and make them more proactive in adopting positive life style changes. Attorneys are also recommending that clients that are facing serious charges volunteer to be monitored with hopes that judges will take their positive efforts into consideration when they are being sentenced. The use of GPS as a part of pre-trial release has many advantages as well.
Specific applications:
- Basic monitoring with areas of inclusion can be used to monitor the whereabouts of a defendant who has had a record of failures to appear or may be a flight risk.
- Curfew requiring the defendant to remain in his residence during certain hours could be ordered to keep young adults from associating with gang members.
- House arrest with court ordered exceptions such as work, medical appointments, AA meetings and visits with the probation officer allows the defendant to remain employed while supporting his family and paying restitution, fine and court costs.
- Specified areas of exclusion are best used in cases of domestic violence or stalking to provide additional protection for victims at their home, work or place of worship. With the GPS units we use we can warn the defendant with a signal from the bracelet if they stray to near the area of exclusion.
These are just a few of the uses of SCRAM, ChekBAC and GPS monitors. They not only help prevent costly jail over crowding but also allow defendants to keep their jobs while maintaining public safety. For more information or to place an order, contact us.
