High-Tech Restraining Devices: GPS Tracking to Reduce Prisoner’s Time in Jail
2 Apr 2014Iran officials hope to improve community safety, decrease prison time for non-violent criminals, and clear packed prisons through the use of GPS trackers.
In the United States, global positioning systems (GPS) are used for a multitude of tracking and monitoring purposes, including for tracking recent parolees. In Iran, officials want to take a similar approach by using GPS tracking in order to reduce how long prisoners need to stay locked up.
Electronic Handcuffs
The GPS trackers are in the form of handcuffs, dubbed electronic handcuffs. These high-tech restraining devices will track the exact location and movements of the criminals, regardless of where in the country they are located.
The GPS handcuffs are only to be used on criminals who did not commit a violent crime, allowing them to complete their punishment in their own homes. The GPS electronic handcuffs are also designed to ensure that these non-violent convicts don’t attempt to cross the border before their sentence is up.
As with U.S. prisoners that wear ankle bracelets, these individuals will be tracked and have restrictions while they are at home. To begin with, they will only be able to go a certain distance from home, otherwise their cuffs will alert officials.
Early stages of the study have already been completed to ensure the tracking technology is up-to-date and provides real time for the location and movements of those wearing the GPS handcuffs.
Iran’s Packed Prisons Mohammad Ali Esfenani, spokesman for the Majilis Legal and Judicial commission, is hoping to reduce the amount of people in their packed prisons.
According to Esfenani, there are more than 7,000 inmates that qualify for this GPS tracking program. So far, over 1,000 of the devices have been purchased and are ready to go. Some devices are worn over the hands, while others go around the ankles. Officials are conducting lists of inmates who will first implement the program, many of whom committed non-violent financial crimes.
The GPS tracking devices can be used anywhere the prisoner is, whether it is on a public city bus or in their own home. The location data is sent approximately every 30 minutes so that officials can see exactly where they are at that time.
Iran isn’t the first country to use this technology for this purpose either; the United States, France, Thailand and the Netherlands are all using similar devices. The primary difference being Iran officials will only be using these electronic handcuffs on non-violent criminals to be sure they remain within the restrictions set when granted the opportunity to carry out their remaining prison sentence outside of prison walls.
While privacy is a common concern, officials in Iran believe prisoners will be relieved to be at home. The non-violent criminals will be getting early parole by agreeing to wearing the GPS trackers and following the rules, enabling them be at home with families while getting out of prison early.
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