PRISONERS due for release could soon find they are given an alternative measure to imprisonment if Parliament approves the introduction of electronic tagging.
Central prison authorities hope to see the bill implemented by the end of the year and no later than early 2008.
“We hope this system will be enforced soon as it will allow for a more humane treatment of prisoners and will give offenders the chance to speed up their integration into society,” Central Prison director Michael Hadjidemetriou told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.
Electronic tagging is a form of surveillance used by prison authorities around the world to monitor the whereabouts of offenders. It consists of an electronic device attached to a person’s ankle which is then connected to a receiver on the telephone line at the offender’s home. Prisoners’ movements inside the home can then be monitored by authorities to ensure restrictions or curfew times imposed on them are maintained, Hadjidemetriou said.
The director said if the electronic bracelet or receiver was tampered with in any way or moved, then the base was disconnected from the phone line and the authorities automatically alerted.
“The receiver checks the range of movement of a prisoner. If his house is five metres, 10 metres or 20 metres then it will monitor within that range,” he said.
Hadjidemetriou said the practice was widely used in Europe and America and in Cyprus would be used as part of a four-stage prison sentence.
“The first stage is the closed prison, the second stage is the open prison, the third stage is the rehabilitation centre and the fourth stage will involve the electronic monitoring,” he said.
The prison director said whoever was in stage three of their prison sentence was eligible to take part in stage four.
“In stage four, instead of returning to the prison after work they will be allowed to sleep at home and monitored through the electronic system.”
He said offenders would only be allowed into stage four if they showed good behaviour and posed no threat to their home environment or society in general.
A thorough risk analysis report taking all factors into consideration would be prepared by prison authorities and presented to the prison’s selection committee. This is the same committee that is responsible for granting prisoners’ day passes. The committee would then assess the file and make a decision on whether or not it was beneficial for the offender to go home, Hadjidemetriou said.
Family consent was also a prerequisite, he said.
“If an offender’s family doesn’t want him to return home they we can’t force them to accept him,” he said.
Some offenders, such as those convicted of domestic abuse, would not be entitled to stage four.
“We have to be very careful in this case because we don’t want to create other problems. If the family don’t want him, we can’t insist.”
The prison director said no prisoner could go to stage three and four directly, but that they could go to stage two depending on their sentence.
“A prison sentence under six months can go straight to stage two, while any sentence over one month and under one year can move to stage three,” he said.
Hadjidemetriou said the initiative was prompted following EU directives and the fact that the practice was used abroad.
“It’s beneficial to prisoners to try and integrate them back into society before they are released,” he said.
“If a serious crime is committed during this stage he goes straight back to the closed prison.”
Disciplinary offences would include a violation of stage four restrictions, such as ignoring curfew, causing problems at home or with neighbours, drug use, or breaking the electronic device.
Hadjidemetriou said he hoped offenders’ families would co-operate with authorities to ensure the system worked.
He said before it was implemented the public would be informed so they were not scared off.
“We already have people who could be included in stage four if the system is implemented today,” he said.
Asked how many devices would be purchased, the prison director said that would be decided at the final stage, when the offer was put to tender and depending on which company was successful in securing it.
He said there were a number of international companies that dealt with the electronic gadgets and, although costly, it would be of great benefit.
“It has been tried and tested in Germany, Portugal, Spain, the UK, the US, and Canada. This is not something exclusive to us and has been shown to work… We hope it will go to vote by the end of the year, the beginning of next, depending on when everything is ready,” he said.
