Punitiveness in Australia: electronic monitoring vs the prison

Abstract

Internationally, the 200 year honeymoon with the prison may be ending. Research showing that imprisonment is ineffective in reducing crime is finally being heeded by some conservative governments committed to cost cutting. But, as this case-study of Victoria, Australia, again highlights, punishment regimes are neither universal nor rational. Bucking the trend, prison numbers in Victoria have increased dramatically over the last decade and are set to rise higher. The lingering lure of the prison here, we argue, is a manifestation of Australia's colonial history in which punitiveness has always competed with pragmatic innovation. Although the research findings are inconclusive, we contend that Electronic Monitoring (EM), while differently fraught, better meets the key objectives of sentencing. Using a counterfactual social science thought experiment in the form of an imagined Cabinet submission, we show how political decision makers might be persuaded to effect a shift from prison to EM if it is framed within the competing visions of Australian national identity. We argue that understanding how social policy decisions are made sharpens the scholarly research agenda and also highlights how the convergence of a unique set of non-rational cultural assumptions can shape major shifts (or near misses) in the history of punishment in a particular society.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of the electronic monitoring of offenders

“…EM is not without its detractors, especially when viewed more as a form of state control than a method of rehabilitation (Kornhauser and Laster, 2014). Many commentators advocate caution in the widespread use of EM systems, whether implemented alone or as part of a suite of interventions (Renzema & Mayo-Wilson, 2005.…”

Electronic monitoring: The experience in Australia

“…EM generally involves offenders being fitted with tamper-proof devices that transmit signals to correctional authorities, allowing them to determine whether the person is abiding by required conditions. Typically, these conditions involve temporal and geographical constraints, including curfews, attending places of work, study or treatment, or avoiding certain locations (Kornhauser and Laster, 2014; Nellis, 2013).…”

Punitiveness of electronic monitoring: Perception and experience of an alternative sanction

“…This important early study focuses on initial experiences with EM in the United States. More recent literature reviews EM's use in other national contexts such as Denmark (Payne et al, 2014) and Australia (Kornhauser and Laster, 2014). In addition to those articles that are more oriented towards the enforcement authorities, Bülow's (2014) analysis of EM highlights six ethical standards and assesses the ethical implications of EM, including questions about the privacy rights of offenders and the public (e.g.…”