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There is a good side, and there is bad side when it comes to evaluating the Electronic Monitoring system the state of Florida. It was first introduced as a radio frequency system used to monitor individuals on house arrest, and eventually evolved into a second system, this system worked as an active GPS monitoring system. The entire up-side to this topic, is that the use of electronic monitoring is great when utilized as a tool for tracking criminals and offenders. The negative side is the fact that such a powerful resource like electronic monitoring can create be misused by a government, terrorist group, or anyone with power and malice intention.
First and foremost, I want to focus on the group of individuals that are targeted in the use of (EM), or the target population. The advancement of this technology focused on keeping tabs on offenders in a given area. As of 2009, the state of Florida had over 2,000 offenders being electronically monitored. The systems that the state of Florida implemented in 1988 have been extremely effective and efficient. They are great tools for law enforcement in regards to keeping tabs on all parolees and probationers. It also creates a sense of community awareness, this technology specifically focuses on criminal offenders by developing online databases citizens can use to look up such criminals in their areas like sex offenders. I think the use of a radio frequency to monitor criminals is the ideal way a government should use this type of technology.
On the contrary, the technology of electronic monitoring does come at an expense, one that is paid by the tax payers of the US. One must ask themselves is the use of an efficient machine, worth the expense to monitor a group of criminals? I do not believe so. All in all I believe that the use of electronic monitoring in the state of Florida is a wonderful, extremely helpful tool we have created for ourselves. It creates community awareness, helps law enforcement, and has GPS tracking abilities. The only part I see as problematic is the cost and expense the tax payers face.
Source:
Electronic Monitoring (Florida). (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2014, from http://www.crimesolutions.gov/ProgramDetails.aspx?ID=230
