How does an electronic bracelet for criminals work?

In a small, snowy, Swiss town of Gstaad for several days photojournalists from around the world have been occupying around one house.Of course, it is about the residence of Roman Polanski, in which the famous director is with the consent of the court.Removing from a detention.It is well known that the director must wear a special collar that informs the monitoring center about his every move.But are you sure about everyone?How do modern remote surveillance systems really work?

In a small, snowy, Swiss town of Gstaad for several days photojournalists from around the world have been occupying around one house.Of course, it is about the residence of Roman Polanski, in which the famous director is with the consent of the court.Removing from a detention.It is well known that the director must wear a special collar that informs the monitoring center about his every move.But are you sure about everyone?How do modern remote surveillance systems really work?

The electronic monitoring system is not a new technology at all.The first device of this type was invented and constructed as early as 196.year at the University of Harvard by Ralph Kirkland Schwitzgebel.In 1969, the brother of Ralph Schwitzebel - Robert Schwitzgebel, who was at that time a professor at the University of California, published an article in the magazine Psychology Today, in which he described the exact principle of acting and the role of the system created by his brother in the supervision of criminals.The invention for the first time was used in practice in 1983 in the city of Albuquerque.Since then, the use of electronic supervision systems has become common, especially in the United States, where in 2007 130,000 were used each day.The system is also popular in Great Britain, although in other European Union countries this solution is just beginning to gain popularity.

Electronic supervision systems can be divided into two basic types: active and passive devices.The first group includes solutions that are based on almost constant signal transmission to the monitoring center.Passive devices, on the other hand, save all data in the built -in memory, then once a day the monitored person connects his bracelet to the transmitter in his house, which reads the collected data and sends it to the monitoring center.Data transfer can take place in several ways.Most often in the monitored house there is a small transmitter, which is connected to a mobile network or a desktop phone.This transmitter communicates wirelessly with a bracelet, checking if the monitored person has not gone beyond the allowed area (usually defined by the range in which the bracelet can communicate with the transmitter).If the convicted person has the ability to move in a large area, a satellite or networking connection is also used, which allows for continuous monitoring of the whereabouts of the observed person.

Typical information that is sent to the headquarters is the location of the monitored person and his movement speed at the moment.As you can see, these are data read directly from the GPS transmitter, which can be built into the bracelet or be in the mobile phone included in the set, which the convicted person must always have with him.Such a phone is also in a constant communication with the bracelet so that the monitored person must always have both devices with you.The division into zones in which a person can stay and those in which his presence is prohibited is often used.In this way, a monitored person can go to work, store or look after children.However, if the convict is in the prohibited area, the monitoring center will be notified immediately.This usually ends with a warning for a convict or even immediate police action and his return to prison.

Bracelets for monitored people are most often put on a leg, although sometimes they are also worn on their hands.It is often heard that the devices cause skin irritation in the people wearing them, so some try to put a cloth or a handkerchief between the bracelet and the skin.However, be careful not to start the alarm.The devices cannot be removed, and each attempt to cut the fastening belt, unscrewing the screws or hitting the bracelet ends with alerting the monitoring officer.The bracelet protection system is at least three -stage.The first protection is an optical sensor or carbon fiber wires built into the device.A signal is constantly sent through these cables and an attempt to cut them will cause a break in its transmission and immediately send an appropriate message to the headquarters.The second protection is sensors connected to screws, which allow you to detect contact with them a metal screwdriver.Again, when the fastening screws are attempted, the alarm will be initiated.The last level of security is encrypted data transmission, which prevents attempts to create a duplicate of the device.On the Internet you can find many questions about how to remove an electronic bracelet, but we will not find a certain solution.In connection with the above.However, there are known cases when the monitored person has a break -in or other crime.Such situations usually take place in the case of passive systems that require sending data to the headquarters only once a day.

An interesting fact is the existence of electronic supervision systems that are equipped with breathalyzers.Such solutions are used for people accused of crimes related to alcohol abuse, for example drivers who cause drunk accidents.In such systems, the breath of a person is monitored, and in addition to location, the speed of movement is also sent to the sobriety data.

And how is the situation of electronic supervision in Poland?According to the Polish Press Agency, launched with a pump on September 1, the electronic supervision system for prisoners turned out to be an extremely expensive misfire - says Dziennik Gazeta Prawna ".Within three months, over 30 were submitted to the courts.applications for the transfer of the convicted person to the house arrest, but only 18 people got the bracelets.Electronic bracelets put on the ankle at the prisoner's leg were to eliminate the problem of overpopulation of the prisoner once and for all.The Ministry of Justice maintains that the system extension will follow the schedule.In 2012.The electronic supervision system is to cover the whole country, and in the bracelets on the legs is to parade 7.5 thousand.convicted.The ministry has prepared an amendment to the act, which will expand a group of prisoners entitled to apply for a prison sentence for home arrest nearly four times..For now, the costs of electronic supervision are astronomical.Only this year we will spend over PLN 25 million to organize arrests.The following years are expenses of nearly 200 million - calculates "DGP".

WP - Grzegorz Bernik