What Factors Should be Considered Before Starting an EM Project?
The following factors should be considered before starting an electronic monitoring project:
- Do not focus on the technology alone. The cost of technology represents a fraction of the cost of delivering the program. Focus on what needs to be achieved by the program so that selection of technology and the processes and personnel required to deliver the program follow that need.
- Why is electronic monitoring being considered? What does the program hope to achieve?
- Is legislation in place to start an electronic monitoring program? Is it needed? If not, how long will it take? In most countries it takes at least two years to pass the required legislation.
- What will be the procurement process? Who will be responsible for writing the specification and selecting the electronic monitoring provider?
- Develop an output based tender specification rather than a prescriptive one. In other words, describe what needs the project or equipment needs to meet rather than what the technology should look like and the specific features it must have.
- Allocate a realistic budget based on consultation with other EM practitioners.
- Who will select the participants for electronic monitoring? What incentives will there be to ensure that those candidates who meet the criteria are selected? This is an area often overlooked. New programs often fail to deliver expected growth rates because key stakeholders do not understand how or when to use EM.
- What is the profile of a typical participant? Will they be released early from prison or court?
- How long is a typical sentence?
- Who will carry out the monitoring?
- Who will carry out the field response and equipment installation work?
- Will the private sector be involved? If so, in what capacity? If not, will secure facilities be available to carry out the monitoring and for maintaining the monitoring center system? Are existing staff available and willing to be trained and are you ready to recruit new staff?
- What responses are required for suspected violations? How will a time violation be defined? What about follow-up visits? This is crucial because it defines the number of people required to deliver the service.
- What are typical curfew hours?
- Will tracking and voice verification be used? Does everyone understand the differences and limitations of each technology?
- Commission research to evaluate the pilot program at defined milestones.
