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An experimental satellite tracking programme produced mixed results, with many monitored offenders committing offences while being tracked and signals being blocked by tall buildings, a report reveals.
The report—Satellite Tracking of Offenders: A Study of the Pilots in England and Wales—by Stephen Shute, professor of criminal law and criminal justice at Birmingham Law School, shows that more than half of offenders being monitored had been sent back to jail or had their tagging orders revoked because of breaches. Around a quarter committed new crimes while being tracked.
The hi-tech tracking system, which was introduced when David Blunkett was home secretary, also helped convict some offenders, as well as keeping others out of trouble, the research reveals.
The technology was used in tests with 336 offenders, between September 2004 and June 2006, as an alternative to electronic tagging. Participants were made to wear ankle tags and carry a portable tracking unit, which allowed their movements to be tracked via global positioning satellite
technology.
Police could be alerted in some cases if offenders entered zones from which they had been excluded.
Shute found, however, that “passive tracking” was usually used, meaning it could be 24 hours before police and probation were alerted to breaches.
Tracking units were also found to have problems picking up signals in buildings, and tall structures could block or distort the signals.
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