Dionne Rose, Staff ReporterTHE GOVERNMENT is hoping to introduce a system of electronic tagging of inmates as opposed to custodial sentencing, according to to Senator Kern Spencer, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of National Security.
Mr. Spencer, in making his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate yesterday, explained that the 'e-tagging' would facilitate the monitoring of inmates using Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology.
He said inmates would be tagged and
monitored in communities at a cost of US$8-US$10 per day compared with US$22 per day for persons in custody.
Senator Spencer said a Cabinet submission has already been forwarded to the Ministry of National Security for review and that
several pieces of legislation would also have to be reviewed before the procedure is
introduced.
LAWS FOR AMENDMENT
Among the laws that would have to be amended are the Parole Act, the Bail Act, the Alien Act, the Correction Act and its regulations, the Criminal Justice (Administrative) Act and the Child Care and Protection Act.
Mr. Spencer also said a pilot project was to be carried out this year on the monitoring of inmates as well as the level of risk they pose.
He said this would be done through the establishment of a database linking the Department of Correctional Services, the police and the courts.
Mr. Spencer also said that the vendor who would supply hardware and software for the project had already been selected through the Government's contract committee.
"The Department of Correctional Services and the police have just visited some sites overseas where the software product is being used," Senator Spencer said. "Piloting of the project should be conducted in 2006 in selected correctional and probation offices."
