More Evidence on Less Prison: A Multi-Site Randomized Trial of Electronic Monitoring

The prison boom yielded burgeoning costs that, with the recent economic recession necessitates a closer look at responses to offenders. As agencies re-examine and reduce correctional costs, parole is a natural consideration; however, revised approaches must consider public is electric monitoring. With recent advances, GPS monitoring systems offer increased deterrent effects over traditional RF monitoring devices because they offer not only determination of an offender’s presence at a particular time and place (as with RF monitoring), but also tracking of an offender’s geographic position. Furthermore, zones of exclusion (and inclusion) with notification upon crossing of boundaries can be set. Compared to RF monitoring, use of GPS monitoring can serve to decrease the probability of new offense or condition violations as offenders perceive a higher certainty that such violations will be caught and that punishments will ensue. This study utilizes data from 10 parole districts in which random assignment of GPS and RF monitoring to released offenders during a one-year period. A block randomization design is employed to ascertain the effects of monitory type on recidivism outcomes. Implications for broaden supervisions strategies are discussed.