Global positioning system technology was invented to pin point bomb targets. Now its increasingly part of the surveillance system for sex offenders. Forty states have programs that require convicted offenders to wear an ankle bracelet. If the parolee strays into a no-go zone like a playground or school — police are supposed to swoop in and pick them up.
Proponents agree these bracelets smack of big brother, but argue that because they prevent crime, they’re a wise investment. Others say the GPS leash is a high tech hoax that does little to protect society, while unfairly targeting society’s least popular offenders.
Guests:
Justin Jones, Deputy of Director of Community Corrections in Oklahoma;
Barbara Fedders, Clinical Instructor at the Criminal Justice Institute at Harvard Law School;
Richard Nimer, Director of business development for Pro Tech Monitoring, the biggest company producing offender tracking technology in the U.S.