In response to rising incarceration rates and prison overcrowding, Florida has developed the first statewide house arrest program. This ‘Crime File’ segment examines this program and its use of electronic monitoring devices.
In a discussion, panelists note that incarceration rates have dropped markedly since the program’s inception in 1984. Public support of the program has been good because offenders pay restitution, pay the State to offset the cost of supervision, and work to support dependents and families.
Also discussed are concerns that such programs require probation officers to act more like police officers, the potential for de-emphasizing rehabilitation, and the possibility that house arrest may result in net-broadening.