There is a better, less expensive, and less stigmatizing approach to electronic monitoring than using ankle bracelets. Participants of drug court programs are often required to abide by electronic monitoring to stay in good standing within the program, which is understandably an accountability requirement. Yet is an ankle bracelet the best way to accomplish this?
The Stigma of Ankle Bracelets Monitoring
Adding stress to a drug court participant’s already stressful situation isn’t going to help your graduation numbers. However, the importance of accountability and supervision of your participants is also the foundation to ensuring your program is successfully reducing your recidivism rates. You can find a balance between these two
“Wearing an ankle monitor is a little bit like being required to wear a criminal record on your body,” Kilgour said. “Its potential to compromise or complicate privacy may jeopardize opportunities to form strong social bonds within communities, or maybe to obtain or maintain employment, among other things.” – Cornell University, Lauren Kilgour – Author of “The Ethics of Aesthetics: Stigma, Information and the Politics of Electronic Ankle Monitor Design,”
The Affordable & Sensible Alternative
We know that most individuals participating in a drug court program are working on rebuilding their lives. A big part of that rebuilding process pertains to the financial side of life, as the majority of drug court clients do not have a job at the beginning of the program. So how can they afford a cost like $300 up front for an ankle bracelet, and a daily fee of up to $10 for the device?
Financial hardship has been proven to be a trigger for relapse due to the stress. Adding a financial burden such as ankle bracelets could be counter productive in this sense.
We have been able to address this issue at One Step Software with the creation of our Client Recovery App. The Client Recovery App provides for location tracking for electronic monitoring needs, and many more tools for accountability and support. The Client Recovery App is looked at as a helpful tool by participants, instead of an electronic branding shackle of their current situation.
If you are a program still leveraging ankle bracelet monitoring for participants, you should really consider implementing the location tracking capabilities of the Client Recovery App. We can guarantee you it will be a more cost effective solution, and a less invasive solution for all.
Contact info@onestepsoftware.com to learn more about how One Step has your program covered for any electronic monitoring needs. We partner with over 1,000 programs just like yours.