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
