Punishment at home: Offenders’ experiences with electronic monitoring

Abstract

As an increasingly popular alternative to prison sentences, electronic monitoring is assumed to generate fewer side effects and to be more humane than imprisonment. While most research on electronic monitoring focuses on its financial or technical implications for penal policy, or on numbers and recidivism, this article analyses the experiences of 27 Belgian convicted offenders with electronic monitoring. Overall, most preferred electronic monitoring to prison, but this was not the case for all the offenders and every circumstance. These findings show that electronic monitoring cannot necessarily be considered a 'softer' alternative to imprisonment. The results imply that, as well as reducing overpopulation in prisons, electronic monitoring may contribute to a decrease in risks for society and the positive empowerment of offenders. Such empowerment can increase their chances of living a crime-free life, which means electronic monitoring can be considered an important step forward for offenders in regaining control over their own lives.

Tagging re-booted! Imagining the potential of victim-oriented electronic monitoring

“…The few studies that exist of the experience of being made subject to EM-based restrictions highlight the potential for curfews to move offending from the public sphere to the private sphere, to exacerbate tensions in domestic spaces (Paterson, 2007b) and to place added pressure on the friends and families of those subject to EM (Vanhaelemeesch and Vander Beken, 2014).…”

“…Significant critiques of EM have emerged from those working in the probation field and elsewhere to challenge existing assumptions about ethical practice (Nellis, 2009;, the use of evidence-based policy (Mair, 2005) and the impact of EM upon friends and family members (Paterson, 2007b;Vanhaelemeesch and Vander Beken, 2014). In order to contextualise contemporary debates, this paper maps the evolution of both first generation and second generation EM programmes with a focus upon England and Wales whilst drawing on experiences from other jurisdictions.…”

Punitiveness in Australia: electronic monitoring vs the prison

“…Research into the experience of monitorees identifies that EM's restrictions are experienced punitively in many respects [see, for example, 17,133,141,143,203]. Monitorees, for example, 28 That is, some offenders who have been sanctioned consider that such a relatively rare event is unlikely to occur again, and thus "reset" their "sanction-certainty estimate".…”

“…29 For many, albeit not all [132,203], offenders, EM is likely to be perceived and experienced comparatively less harshly [see, for example, 141, 143].…”

“…Additionally, by allowing offenders to retain some degree of control and autonomy over their lives, and remain better connected with family, friends, employment, and community life, EM can facilitate overall offender wellbeing and promote desistance from crime [203,209]. It also affords a greater role for offenders' family, (prosocial) friends, and community in their rehabilitation ( [52], pp.…”