# Ontario To Stop Inspecting House Arrest Prisoners



## Bruce Monkhouse (19 Nov 2008)

Just another 'proof is a proof' that saving a small amount of money is more important than your safety.

Hmmm, I wonder if I can serve mine at a brothel? ;D



http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1302728
End of home visits to criminals with ankle bracelets risk to public safety: union
Posted By The Canadian Press

TORONTO - A decision by Ontario's Ministry of Correctional Services to stop inspecting homes where a criminal serving house arrest wears an ankle bracelet is putting the public at risk, the Opposition and the government's largest union charged Tuesday. 
When the $4-million annual program started in 2004, an electronic supervision resource officer was required to conduct an on-site inspection of an offender's residence to confirm the monitoring equipment would function properly. 

The government will end the home visits starting Nov. 30, insisting that advancements in technology mean they can make that determination remotely, but the Ontario Public Service Employees Union said a telephone call is no substitute for an in-home visit. 
“There may very well be a marijuana grow op, a methamphetamine lab or other criminal activity occurring in the home even while the person is on the phone with (corrections staff) regarding how suitable their residence is,” warned union official Gord Longhi, a probation and parole officer. 

“It could be a gang house or a biker headquarters. If there's nobody checking up on them in the community on a regular basis, then they could be doing whatever they want.” 
Progressive Conservative critic Garfield Dunlop said there's no doubt public safety will be put at risk when the government stops the in-home inspections for offenders on the electronic monitoring program.

“Who knows who's at that house? That's the problem,” complained Dunlop, who wants an independent investigation of the program. 
“If someone is arrested for a couple of break and enters and has a bracelet put on, if no one ever assesses the location or the residence, how do we know there's not people with much more serious criminal records hanging out around that house?” 

Correctional Services Minister Rick Bartolucci defended the policy change in the legislature, insisting community safety was his number one priority. 
“Technology allows (us) to remotely access equipment (and) suitability,” said Bartolucci. 
“Staff previously had to take precious time in order to do this monitoring. It's being done in a more effective and a more full manner.” 

The union complained that the government was undermining a very valuable program which it said could save millions of dollars every year because electronic monitoring costs between $12 and $25 per day compared with the $170 per day it cost to keep an offender in jail. 
It also noted the government had taken away portable monitors that its electronic supervision resource officers had used to make spot-checks on offenders, and also took away their cars, forcing them to rely solely on the telephone. 


“The offender may have someone else present in their place when the telephone interview is conducted, or they can misrepresent the suitability of their residence for the equipment to function properly,” said Longhi. 
“This leaves a very real possibility that no correctional services staff will ever visit an offender's home during his period of house arrest.” 


The union said there were 276 offenders wearing ankle bracelets full time and another 115 on weekends, but the Ministry of Correctional Services said there were only 246 offenders in the province involved in the electronic monitoring program.


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## Steel Badger (19 Nov 2008)

This from the folks who brought you payphones in the inamte dayrooms  so they can "three-way" to their hearts content....no matter how it affects institutional security or promotes the incarcerates personal. and illegal, side businessess,


Jesus wept,




Cheers

SB


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