With the overcrowding in jails and prisons and the high cost of incarceration for cities and the state, South Carolina judges sometimes approve the use of ankle monitors (or “bracelets”) as an alternative. The monitors contain GPS technology so that authorities can ensure that the person wearing it cannot go outside of a specified area (like their own property) without the monitor automatically notifying the overseeing agency. This is often referred to as “house arrest.”
These monitors can be programmed in a number of ways. For example, if a person has been ordered to stay away from an alleged victim, officials can put an electronic perimeter (also called a “hot zone” or “exclusion zone”) around that person’s home and/or workplace.
Monitoring has advantages for the offender and the community
These GPS monitors can have important advantages for those who have pleaded guilty or been convicted of a crime. They can allow them to remain in their home and to continue to work from home or even go to and from work, for example.
This can be advantageous both for the offender and for others. If someone’s locked up, for example, it’s harder for them to continue to support their family or pay child or spousal support. It’s harder to pay taxes. A person wearing an ankle monitor is also unlikely to commit a crime since there whereabouts are always known.
House arrest is not just for the rich and powerful
Although you’ve probably seen high-profile cases of wealthy people, well-connected people who have been allowed to remain at home with an ankle monitor rather than go to prison, this option isn’t just for the rich and famous. Your attorney can seek GPS monitoring as part of a plea deal or as an alternative to a prison sentence.
That’s just one reason why you should call an experienced criminal defense attorney if you’re facing charges, even if you did commit the offense you’re accused of. It’s essential to protect your rights and explore all of the options available to you.
