The impact of electronic monitoring compared to prison sentence: an experience research

The question concerning the impact of imprisonment on the convict has fostered criminological research and the formulation of theories and models. Much research has been conducted with the aim to analyze the impact of imprisonment on the convicts. In recent years, several alternatives to imprisonment were developed. One of them, electronic monitoring (EM), has become an important penal policy instrument. Research on the impact of those alternatives in general and EM in particular is in an early stage of development. Little is known about the similarities of EM and the prison sentence regarding their impact. This research is trying to fill this gap by examining the impact of EM on the convicts and their environment compared to imprisonment through experience research. We are doing a literature review and in-depth interviews with convicts and their environment. At the time of ESC meeting, we will present and discuss the provisional results of some of our first interviews

The housemates under electronic monitoring

Electronic monitoring (EM) has become an important instrument within the execution of (prison) sanctions. In Belgium, convicts to certain prison sentences can be allowed to stay home with a tracking anklet. As a rule, their housemates have to agree with EM. However, little attention is paid to housemates in policy and in practice after EM is applied, despite the fact that they are daily confronted with it. This lack of attention exists also in the academia. Currently, there is little known about the impact of EM on innocent third parties and the role families play in helping administer punishment. In this presentation, we will discuss the results of in-depth interviews done with at least 20 housemates about their experience with EM. Our research makes clear that the effects of the penalty expand to the immediate environment of the monitored convict. These influences are considerable, even though most housemates accept the disadvantages in exchange for the presence of their loved ones