Elec Electronic monitoring is widely used in various fields: in medical practices (tagging older adults and people with dangerous diseases), in the jurisdiction to keep track of young offenders, among other fields. However, it has disadvantages and advantages.
Pros of Electronic Monitoring
1. Reduced prison population- this technology allows officers to monitor criminals on bail or probation to live freely in the community. Therefore, it helps to reduce the number of prisoners who should be in jail and thus save on the expense incurred by the government to cater to prisoners.
2. Medical and health – in medical practice, electronic monitoring is of great importance. It is used for monitoring people with diseases like dementia and also elderly people from wandering away.
3. Enhancing security- electronic monitors may be used to keep track of valuable things. For instance, an electronic monitor can be fitted in a car; in case of theft, it can locate the car.
4. Protecting children- in areas where children are kidnapped frequently, parents can use this technology to keep track of their children. Also, a parent can use this technology to limit the movement of their children.
5. Commercial advantage- electronic monitoring is commercially useful. Smartphone features and apps that are location-based usually use the idea of electronic monitoring to detect the exact location of a phone at any given time.
Cons of Electronic Monitoring
1. Cost- purchasing and maintaining the electronic monitor is expensive. This limits the number of people who can get access to it.
2. Can be tampered with- the device is prone to be tampered with. Criminals, who are being monitored, may decide to tamper with the device and, once tampered with it, can no longer show the location.
3. No room for privacy- one disadvantage of electronic monitoring is that you can’t live a private life; this is so because your location is always monitored. It some extent, denies one freedom of movement.
4. Allows criminals to continue committing crimes again- in the jurisdiction, electronic monitoring used on those who are on probation is not an effective way of reducing crimes. This is so because the device only records the location of the criminal and not his actions.
5. Maybe like a punishment to innocent people- apart from being used to keep track of criminals, other people also use it for various purposes. In cases where it is used by the parent to monitor the movement of their children, children may view it as a punishment as it limits them from wandering around with friends.