The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) publicly demonstrated its electronic monitoring system at a media briefing last week, which tags offenders with a geographical global positioning system (GPS) tracking device, as a noncustodial alternative for first-time minor offenders, detainees awaiting trial and parolees.

Correctional Services Minister Sibusiso Ndebele stated at the briefing, held at the DCS, in Pretoria, that noncustodial sentencing would assist in relieving the challenge of overcrowding in the country’s prisons.

He explained that the implementation of the device would result in reduced costs in managing offenders, from R9 800 a month – the current cost of keeping each offender incarcerated each month – to R3 379.

“The main purpose of implementing the tags is to reduce the prison population by ensuring detention outside correctional facilities,” said Ndebele, adding that the system was used to ensure that an individual remained in a desig-nated place.

He explained that a waterproof and shock-resistant personal identification device would be fitted to an offender’s ankle and it could not be removed without breaking the transmitter, which would be linked to a control room that is monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Ndebele pointed out that an offender must at all times also carry a GPS receiving unit, functioning as a cellphone and equipped with a solar charger, as the unit enabled communication with the control room on the parolee’s geographical position.

“If an offender attempts to remove the device, it triggers a tamper alarm in the control room, where a central computer system monitors persons placed under surveillance,” he said.

He added that, if tampering was detected, the offender would receive a telephone call to verify the details of the alleged breach and police would follow this up by verifying infor-mation, taking statements and inspecting equipment.

“Victims of domestic abuse can be given a receiver that alerts them if the perpetrator comes within a certain radius of them,” he said, adding that the receiver was also a panic button that alerted police of possible danger.

He noted that the system enabled offenders to be reintegrated into society and urged society, communities and families to work with the DCS to derive the desired benefits of public security and managing the offender population.