The plague of mass incarceration in the United States has captured national attention, with substantial bipartisan support to resolve this crisis. Even as we recognize the problem, however, it is important to think critically about proposed alternatives. There is a growing consensus among developmental researchers and juvenile justice decision-makers that incarceration is particularly damaging to youth.
Thankfully many jurisdictions are moving away from their historic reliance on secure, institutional placements. As part of these decarceration efforts, some jurisdictions are increasing their use of electronic monitoring, or EM, which uses GPS ankle monitors to track a person’s movements and enforce conditions of release. But, without proper safeguards, EM can have unintended consequences and pose its own dangers to youth, families, and communities. Advocates and stakeholders should thoughtfully consider the actual effects of EM before turning to it as a tool for decarceration.
Electronic monitoring disproportionately affects communities of color. The majority of children placed on electronic monitors are children of color and children from low-income families. According to legal scholar and juvenile defender Kate Weisburd, for these young people, “electronic monitoring represents another way that every aspect of their daily lives is subject to surveillance and control.”
[For more on this story by Leah Mack, go to https://jjie.org/2018/10/24/el...d-their-communities/]
Comments (0)