Nudge watches and alcohol sensors could replace ‘skip’ and playgrounds as authorities consider proposals to use the latest technology to monitor offenders in their homes and replace some prison sentences with house arrest There is.
A new review, chaired by former Conservative justice minister David Gauke, will look at ways to punish thousands more offenders in communities, turning their homes into “virtual prisons”, The Independent says. Dent newspaper reported.
nudge theory
As prisons become increasingly dilapidated and overcrowded, judges could be given the power to force criminals to spend time at home, monitored by electronic tags. This review examines the experiences of US states using house arrest as an alternative to prison. According to the Guardian, offenders can “earn an income, maintain family and other relationships”, “attend probation appointments” and receive “substance abuse treatment” while being monitored with electronic bracelets. .
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The Times said “nudge watches”, which are already used for those on probation, could become part of the virtual prison experience as part of a “strong community alternative to prison”. Offenders will be sent messages urging them to attend appointments or comply with other restrictions imposed as conditions of their release. Nudge technology has the potential to help offenders who lead “disorganized” lives, a senior prison official told the Guardian. “They do not restrict freedom,” but are “very helpful” in “encouraging behavioral compliance and compliance,” the source added. It uses a patch that measures the alcohol content of sweat on the skin and can also send periodic reports on an offender’s alcohol level through an ankle or wrist bracelet.
Attorney General Shabana Mahmood said sensor technology will help authorities track the movements of criminals. AI technology could be used to flag suspicious behavior “like a convicted robber driving around his neighborhood at the same time every day,” which is “an environment outside of a prison.” She said it could be a “really effective” way to help create. prison”.
“It’s definitely a mess.”
Demand for prisons is growing rapidly, with the number of inmates now increasing by around 4,500 every year, but the government admits overcrowding has already pushed prisons to “collapse point”. Meanwhile, emergency plans announced by the government in the summer aim to free up 5,500 prison spaces across England and Wales by releasing prisoners early.
The Independent said it was “undoubtedly confusing” but that the house arrest proposal “seems to have missed the point”. Mike Nellis, professor of criminal and community justice at Strathclyde University, told the newspaper: “We are currently in a situation where we cannot even find accommodation for people released from prison.” We are giving them tents. “The idea that high-tech gadgets like smartwatches can make a “significant contribution” to solving the prison crisis is “ridiculous” if “they can’t even do the basics.” “We have to create something that is comparable to the challenges that services face.”
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