Landline version                  Cell Unit version     

Traditional home detention monitors a Defendant when they are required to be inside their residence. A traditional home detention unit is available in a landline version and a cell unit version (for those that do not have home phone lines). The unit utilizes radio frequency technology (RF) to monitor the Defendant’s ankle bracelet. The base station component stays at the residence plugged into the power and phone lines. The ankle bracelet is attached to the Defendant’s leg and it emits a specific radio frequency “beacon” that can be heard by the base station if the Defendant is inside their home. When the Defendant leaves his/her residence, the base station fails to hear the signal from the bracelet. At this point, the system makes note of the date/time it occurred. The opposite happens when the Defendant returns to his/her residence. If the Defendant leaves the residence outside the schedule set by him/her and their officer, the system notifies the officer of the violation. The whereabouts of the Defendants while away from their residence are verified by documentation from the employer, treatment provider, community service representative, or other approved entity. When away from their residence, the Defendants’ whereabouts are unknown when monitored by this type of equipment. The ankle bracelet detects tampering or removal if that occurs and the monitoring equipment will report it as soon as possible. The Cell Unit version has a built in motion detector to ensure that clients does not move the unit to another location. The Cell Unit is utilized with those clients that do not have access to a basic phone line (motels, hotels, their own home, halfway house, etc…). The Cell Unit is increasing in popularity due to many people obtaining cell phones rather than having a phoneline installed at theDefendants ordered to the Phase 2 - Curfew program would be required to stay inside their homes during a specified timeframe, but would not have to verify their whereabouts outside of those hours. Defendants ordered to the Phase 2 - Restricted program would be required to verify all approved time spent outside their residences. Phase 2 - Restricted is basically the regular home detention program that most Defendants are ordered to complete. It is the closest thing to jail without actually being there.

Alcohol monitoring is conducted using a device called a SCRAM bracelet. SCRAM stands for Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring. The device tests the Defendant’s alcohol concentration through the skin (Transdermal Alcohol Testing or TAC). The bracelet is water-resistant and tamper-resistant. The Defendant is tested at least 24 times per day. If alcohol is detected, the system automatically begins sampling every 20 minutes until alcohol is no longer present. The results are collected throughout the day and stored in the bracelet. The results are uploaded once a day via a modem in the Defendant’s home. The results are then analyzed and posted on a secure website, so officers can access the information when needed. If the Defendant attempts to place products (tape, playing cards, paper, etc…) between the skin and the bracelet to defeat it, the built-in tamper technology will alert the officer.

GPS technology is used to track the whereabouts of Defendants throughout the community. There are two types of GPS devices that EMP utilizes: Active GPS and Passive GPS. Active GPS is near real-time GPS data from satellites and is reported immediately to officers. Officers can access GPS data via a secure website as it happens. Passive GPS data is collected and stored throughout the day and reported after the Defendant arrives home and places the device in a docking station connected to their home phone line. The data is reported at that time and can be reviewed by officers via a secure website. Both types of devices plot locations on a map, so officers can review them. Both types of devices utilize an ankle bracelet design. Data collected include travel speed and direction, time, and date. Exclusion zones (victim work, residence, etc…) are created, so officers may be notified if Defendants enter the zones. The officers would then contact the victim to let them know that the Defendant is in a restricted area. Police officers may be notified/dispatched as well if needed. Cell phone technology built into the devices is used to communicate the GPS data to the monitoring center. Most Defendants on GPS tend to be pre-trial Defendants out on bond and awaiting final disposition of their case(s). GPS allows the Courts to monitor Defendants that would normally be out on bond without any technology at all.

Location Verification Units allow Probation Officers to do on-site verification of offenders within 300 feet. Probation officers in the field are able to park outside of a location (work, community service, etc…) and verify whether or not the Defendant is at that location as required. The officers do not have to visually see the Defendant unless needed. The officers using a verification unit in the vehicle receive the ankle bracelet signal. The ankle bracelet number is then matched with the Defendant assigned to it.