Technological Tracking of Free-Range Felons Could Make Incarceration Obsolete

So where's the punishment?

I get that you don't want a petty drug user/dealer to spend time next to a serial killer...but if he/she doesn't go to jail...where's the penalty for doing what he got convicted for? He's not allowed to go to certain places or deal with certain people?

He should be doing that already on his own accord...

This would never work because criminals are too smart in overcoming obstacles like that.

Not only that, but if there's no "penalty" for committing crimes, some people will see it as a "get out of jail free" card. We need to address the problems that cause a lot of people to end up in jail needlessly in the first place. Poverty, marijuana legality, etc.

When convicted criminals cant find a job, do I have to pay their unemployment too? And why do we need more people looking for work when non-felons can't even get jobs?

I agree with rpenri that they are too smart for such a system. I know a guy that was proud to tell me how he was able to beat his pot sensing ankle bracelet.

These devices should be embeded in their brains so they can't be taken off! With nuclear batteries so they last a lifetime.

And rpenri: Your right. It would never work. It's a free get out of jail card and without penalty of loss of freedom (jail) there is no disincentive to commit more crimes. Lazy people commit crimes because of greed: too lazy to work, or without any talents worthy of selling, they turn to crime because as they say 'crime pays' (it usually does until you get caught). I can imagine how the police would be running around trying to keep up with millions of criminals on the go and there is no way we can afford that many police!

Actually the better solution is just to put these failed citizens to sleep like we do hopeless animals who won't abide by our rules. For example, a dog or cat might have to be put to sleep because it keeps scratching or biting others erratically (regardless of home much love and affection you tender to the animal). It happens. Sometimes death is the only viable solution.

The only way this could work is that you embed the devices in the persons brain along with a 'pain inflicter' that shot them with electrical pain if they got too close to a bar for example (for an alcoholic who killed someone via DUI). Now that might work! It works for dogs with a dog collar to stop barking why not humans! The closer they get to the bar the more it hurts. Now I like that idea!

I just don't see this working on a large scale. The basis is that if you take off the monitor police could round you up in a reasonable amount of time. This can be performed with low level convicts on a small scale but will not work if you try to expand the operation.

So you keep people from physicaly being in the presence of others but this does nothing to prevent them from getting a social networking page started to have a mass "prison break" all at once overwhelming police force and essencialy making the entire system of monitoring convicts pointless.

Unless you can come up with a non-removable biometric tracking system I don't see the paradigm shifting.

You want to fix the broken system? Easy!

Simply execute every single last violent criminal! No more overcrowded prisons. No more early parole because of the overcrowded prisons. No repeat offenders. And lets not forget that it would be one hell of an incentive to not commit a violent crime!

As far as being convicted of stealing or fraud in one form or another I think that all assets of the guilty should be turned over to the federal government and auctioned off. The proceeds of which should directly fund the prison system. Since only the theives would be in prison they essentially pay their own tab.

Last but not least, fix the legal system that caters to criminals. All attorneys should be state funded only, no more private attourneys for criminal cases. Restrict the number of appeals to 1. And do away with the concept of Bail.

No more violent criminals, mo more overcrowded prisons, no more financial burden on society, no more dirty blood sucking lawyers. Sounds like the perfect society to me...

For the first two comments, you're completely missing the point! If you're worried about having to pay for unemployment how do you think they survive in prison? Tax payers pay for food, guards, education, consoling, MEDICAL ATTENTION, etc. And no prison runs in the positive with any work programs. Even the privatized prisons get between 30-50k from the US government for each inmate they house.

How is having your life and freedoms restricted not a penalty? If you can keep a drug addict or minimal risk offender out of the criminal system and away from hardened violators aren't we better off?

And yes by nature any criminal thinks at some level how to break the system. If you're so concerned about the small percent of people figuring out how to get around the technology idea why aren't you concerned about the growing drug trafficing going on in our prison system, the bribing of guards, the failing parole system.

I agree that focusing on the reasons why people end up in prison is a noble and worthy cause, however that is a long term goal to fix an immediate problem, we need a radical solution to make fast changes now while also strategizing long term solutions.

It makes me sad to see how our first thought when someone comes up with a proposed solution to a problem that it's simply met with negative responses. If we can all agree there is a problem then we should all try and work on solutions not simply bashing ideas.

@ gizmowiz

I bet your teacher told you stop talking a lot.

"Quiet time now lil gizmo, let the big people have a say now."

The current prison system is failure. The current answer to jail problem is to build more jails and charge the inmates and their families. That would never work because it costs tax payers too much money and most of criminals commit crimes to make money. There needs to be a revolution on what we think punishment is. Sure you can put everyone to sleep. But society is moving beyond that. In my opinion, this solution is headed in the right direction. You need read up on Norway's prison system. Very forward thinking. youtube watch?v=C4beUC3-ckw

Gizmo,Drew, and Rpen you guys are so ignorant of whats really going on all around you, you really need to take James advice and just be quiet and let the grown ups talk. Quit wasting my time with your childish comments. I grew up around drugs and crime and I know for a fact that all jail does is bond criminals and make them twice as good at what they do. The so called "System" is a joke. I like the ideas that this article put forth. It might not be the perfect solution but ideas like this can always be improved on. It would be the start in the right direction of something that wouldn't be a drain on our society, which is already at it's breaking point.

1) There is a problem, and is has to do with the burden for incarceration being put on the common populous.
A) In the past, this was not always the case, as the incarcerated paid for his upkeep.
B) The problem with this is that criminal incarceration would almost inevitable create unsurmountable financial hardship, resulting in debtors prison.
C) The US has a firm and healthy distaste for the idea of debtors prison, due to the abuses of England of the practice and the example that set during the Industrial Revolution.

2) Therefore, there must be a fiscal solution to prisons.
A) This system does little to address the underlying fiscal issues. As the guards will need to be replaced by additional officers on the street. Cost of support will be replaced with cost of crime, cost of monitoring and technology, and the greatest cost - the cost of litigation (most felons are repeat offenders, thus they will repeatedly offend).

3) A sound fiscal solution must do the following:
A) Simplify and limit the appeal system.
B) Require bails to be surrendered in full and in cash to the courts before release.
C) Take the discreation of forfeited bail away from judges. If bail is forteited, it is siezed by the court, and it cannot be reapplied to future bail or used to mitigate sentencing.
D) Make prisoners fiscally responsible for their incarceration through:
1) Siezing of assets.
2) Removing prison ammenities.
3) Requiring work to mitigate costs.
4) Garnishing future wages to cover costs.
5) Conditioning all parole upon employment - no job, no release.
E) Prisoners who will never again be productive members of society, because they will never be released, or will be of such and age and indebtedness upon release, should not be allowed to continue to burden the country.

Expatriation to a foriegn soil would be the most reasonable and human solution - there are plenty of nations that would gladly accept such people for a fraction of the cost of support. Furthermore, such inmates would have the option at a second chance (if without the advantages that US citizenship affords) or would face the more practicle and brutal judgements of developing nations if they continued their deviant behaviors.

I agree with some of the other comments - where's the punishment? While I do think that our prisons are overcrowded with non-violent offenders, letting them go and saying "we've got our eye on you, young man" isn't going to cut it.

we could just make Hawaii a prison and if you can survive it there for your sentence then your free to go

twiggister345: You obviously didn't read all my comments. I don't favor putting anyone in jail I favor putting them to sleep permanently as failed members of society. Most criminals will never reform. They just get sneakier and more devious and pissed they got caught. Embedding devices inside the brain is the best way as almost no one could afford to have them removed once embeded. And so easy to inflict punishment if people stray from where they are allowed to wander. The closer they get to taboo areas, the nastier the electric shock from within. That's the only valid solutions. Punishment from within with GPS tracking or death. Reform has never and will never work. You deny what it is to be human to assume they will reform. Drug addicts with fried brains almost are never reformed. Sorry, I have first hand experience with that. Lots of relatives slipped away that way. Nothing works. Fry them, embed them, or watch us go down the bankruptcy trying to 'reform' them via jail and programs. Total waste of money.

jamesbrett12: You obviously don't believe in freedom of speech and the right to speak how you feel. Your solution is just to shut everyone up. How is that American? I would say the same back to you but everyone has a right to an opinion. I don't care for yours but your making it personal so just shut up!

@oxygenthief

bravo bravo, you should run for public office i wanna vote for you!!!

lnwolf41 Put tracker on them and take them all to the farms that require fieldhands to pick the veggies instead of illleagles. We need to improve roads, give them shovels and picks and start digging. All the disaster areas that need cleaning up put them on it. Why pay out hundereds of millions to private companies whem we have prisons full of able body men and women.

The prison system is a mess. Because of "human rights" what would seem like the most logical solution (killing them off...horrible by the way) will never happen as society's morality matures as a whole. Honestly, felons are raised not made. Why don't we just make it illegal for anybody to have a child without a license which would be acquired by taking a test to measure your maturity and sanity (not a bad idea if you think about the horrible things some parents put their children through). For that matter make it more difficult to get a driver's license. I'm not saying more expensive either. There are just too many ideas but not enough that are moral and constitutional. All these brilliant economists, theorists, and psychologists can't figure out how to fix this system?! We need a solution asap!

@ gizmowiz

"Bad gizmo, bad! Go and stand in the corner!" - Ring any bells?

Your contributions are childish and inhumane at best. I'm not from the States, thankfully we have this thing called the EU where I'm from, protecting us from said tortures and executions that you propose. I believe you have this thing called the Bill of Rights protecting you from older versions of yourself as well.

A little eduction for you, just like being back at school hey...

Drug addicts become drug addicts because of a breakdown in the social fabric they grow up in. Boredom, poverty, family break downs etc... all contribute to this factor (If you cannot correct this system there is little point of trying to correct your prison system). Many of these people require decent psycho-analysis and a clear route out of the mess that they have created for themselves, not to be locked up with a bunch of people who will just compound these issues (obviously depending on the seriousness of the crime).

Your so quick to judge, just because you have had a half decent middle income upbringing, whilst trying to pretend that your life has also been effected by these issues, just to relate to the other comments (which is sad). I know, because if you were from example, a poor broken family, you would understand what drives these people to do this things and have sympathy for them rather than "Fry them, embed them" as you so delicately put it. It makes you look stupid and very naive.

Another thing which has been mentioned above but also very important. Many laws do not reflect the relative crime. Many pot smokers and ecstasy takers become criminals through no fault other than having a good time, even dealing to friends can land you in very serious trouble (which is most unfair). Gizmo - Do these people need to be put down as well? Anything that will keep people like this, far away from the scum of the earth is nothing but a good thing.

Work programs and curfews would have to be properly enforced. As another says, when the technology increases so will the penal systems control over the prisoner. The technology is in its infant stages atm, but still promising none the less.

Now you see Gizmo, please educate yourself on matters before you pass your judgment to the world, because people will do exactly that and judge your for the fool that you probably aren't.

I thought this was some RFID article that addresses implanting a chip into their bone marrow. Please.. if any of you see prison as punishment, it's becoming less and less so. At a max-security federal institution they have HDTVs in an "honor" unit along with acoustic guitars, programs to include some college courses, Softball field, bball courts, 3 free meals a day along with a job where they can spend their money on commissary items. Inmates making pizzas, burritos, and sneaking in some homemade alcohol to enjoy the world cup, super bowl, and whatever else they want to celebrate. Punishment? More like a free ride on taxpayer's money. It's not heaven, but it's most certainly not any sort of hell. Our court system is a joke. We let child molesters out in a few years time, while we imprison a second time drug offender for life. They oppress the common people with threats of jail time and extortion for a speeding ticket, while gov't employees use the system as a sort of funding?? When did the government convince us that driving was a privilege and not a right? Were they the ones that invented the automobile? Regulation is getting out of control.

The whole justice system is screwed up. Period. Change just needs to happen sometimes. We will find out which system works best and which points to adapt but we have to do something drastic to learn. How long can we continue to revise a system that isn't working and expect different results. I think that's the definition of insanity. Drowning ourselves in policy, rhetoric, and regulation.

or, you know, end 'the war on drugs'. But hey, your idea is cool too!

Easy solution. Colony on the moon or mars. done.

@ rpenri, who said:

"So where's the punishment?

I get that you don't want a petty drug user/dealer to spend time next to a serial killer...but if he/she doesn't go to jail...where's the penalty for doing what he got convicted for? He's not allowed to go to certain places or deal with certain people?

He should be doing that already on his own accord...

This would never work because criminals are too smart in overcoming obstacles like that.

Not only that, but if there's no "penalty" for committing crimes, some people will see it as a "get out of jail free" card. We need to address the problems that cause a lot of people to end up in jail needlessly in the first place. Poverty, marijuana legality, etc." - end quote

I'd say that this may be true, there may not be a penalty (although I see potential for a shock-collar feature being added when they do something off-limits, or perhaps automated sedative injection if they get violent) But the main point I see of the prison system is not to punish criminals, because that doesn't make them better (this is why current prisons don't work well) the main idea is to protect the populace from criminals and their doings, as well as to try and make them behave better when they are released (also, current prisons are not effective for rehabilitation)

This technique, though radical, is mainly used to prevent criminals from committing crimes again, and that, in my opinion is the desired effect of the criminal justice system. I couldn't care less about making them suffer for what they've done, so long as they don't do it again. For minor criminals, this system seems like an effective way to prevent additional crimes from being committed, and will probably be a raging success.

And of course, the fact that it is FAR cheaper than the current prison system, in which we pay for the housing, food, and medicine of inmates, is quite a plus in its own right! I imagine this would be a nice bit of taxes we could all cut down on because it doesn't cost much to monitor a criminal with an anklet, especially compared to buying EVERYTHING they need as we now do.

Save money, and get the effect you want. Sounds good to me.

The problem is it would be man power intensive to keep tabs on 3 million released felons. It would require hiring 3 million (at least) 'watchers' to police them and go fetch them if they all decided to commit crimes at one time (which is easy with texting and email) then how would they be everywhere at once? Silly idea. It just won't work with more than 10,000 or so this way nationwide. It just won't. That's 3,000,000 cop cars to purchase, 3,000,000 cops to hire, 3,000,000 laptops, etc, etc, etc. Cost more in the long run.

I don't agree with you at all Jamesbrett. You know nothing of my background so don't presume you do. I have had plenty of family members get in trouble I have seen it all. BS total BS.

If the way I would solve it by put to sleep felons who break the law repeatedly then tell me why so many middle eastern countries do just that? It was the way of the bible to until quacks edited the bible to throw out the old testament. Eye for an eye is the only thing crooks understand.

So according to gizmowiz, the government would assign one laptop to one govt official to monitor one inmate sitting on the jon at home??? yea... you don't need 3million people to monitor 3 million inmates. Don't I wish the officer to inmate ratio was 1:1 in prison.

That's what makes tech beautiful. In a lot of cases, you don't even need a person to monitor. You simply write a program that sends a warning flag to a comp when, say a sex offender is too close to a school. The official then takes note, and advises local law enforcement to the exact location of the inmate and he gets rolled up and sent back to prison.

In another example, say an armed robbery was reported. If there was a system that local law enforcement could instantly pull to show inmates within close proximity, it might help to provide suspects. After the armed robbery if an officer could recognize a tagged inmate traveling at excessive speed, that might be a pretty good indication who might be guilty and lead other officers to pursue.

I would say in reality, you probably only need 1 person monitoring for every 20 inmates. That's ideal, but knowing the government it's more likely to be 1 official to every 100 inmates.

Every single person reading this article and especially those posting comments should read 1984 by George Orwell. I can't believe no one seems to understand the huge civil liberties ramifications this technological "solution" raises. The US right now has by far the highest per capita incarceration rate in the world. By making it even less costly to the government to control people through consistent monitoring, this number would surely increase. Remember that when GPS ankle bracelets were first used, the proponents argued the anklets would only be used in high risk cases such a sex offenders. Later even Martha Stewart convicted of insider trading served her house arrest with an anklet monitor.
This technology will begin with criminals and slowly be expanded in the name of public security. Orwell accurately predicted the future, he was just off on the date it would become a reality.

Now now now , let's not be so quick to tag and/or dispose of each other because we brake rules that change according to the puppet who got elected.. This is all our future in one way or another. The idea of being criminal is very subjective to the government in which you are accused of being criminal. Social correction has never changed the element of crime, it will always be a force that good will deal with. As one of the more free societies it is up to us to create an environment in which we choose to judge only crimes in which there is a victim. Death as a punishment is absurd and what an easy price to pay, for a crime that more than likely a victim will have to live and breath the tragedy they were put through until the day they die. 2 wrongs don't make a right, and yes the more complex law enforcement gets ,the criminal mind will evolve faster than the technology to suppress it. As a matter of fact there are millions of people who voluntarily track themselves and put all of their dirty laundry on a blog or social APP because they feel they are part of something. Most criminals find sanction amongst each other because they share the same mentality also the feeling of belonging. If those of us who are not criminal minded were to learn to except these people and encourage them down our road to being civil amongst each other.... Sorry what was i thinking, even us who decide not look at ourselves like we could be criminals and as civil and serving people can't even get along with each other. So what makes us think there is a simple answer to solve a problem that is part of the fabric our beings? The laws need to change in favor of self policing. Meaning that all of us are law enforcers and are taught how to police ourselves. All of us will be tagged in one way or another,some day, and there will be a supercomputer sending red flags to its controller about any thing deemed illegal and of course criminal smarty pants will be able to side step the tech and all of us who aren't as savvy will end dealing with a penalty. Think about all the people in prison right now who left no victim in their crime but are now being influenced by some one who gets off on making victims. Lets not forgot all the corporate criminals who make travesty of entire families and workforces and get off scott free, because they can afford a really good PR group to tell them how to get back on top. At one point in america it was an absolute good to own a slave, as we all know america changed her mind about the word enslavement and said let freedom ring in the sound of CHA-CHING the sound money and I can now associate that sound with mental chains of economy.
Free your mind and the rest will follow,
Son Of Atoms

@gizmowiz

I haven't presumed anything, I have based my response on the facts you have displayed in front of me. You are an embarrassment to your nation. You obviously have a serous mental issues or a very low IQ. I pity you, fool.

if drugs were just legal then there would be know gangs, drug related crimes, or bums hanging out on the corner because they would all be out of a job. the government should focus their attention on people who use drugs, not trying to make it illegal and create drain on our economy. think of all the money that could be made just by taxing drugs alone. sometimes what sounds bad can turn out quite good.

Yeah they should let ppl make their own decisions about using hard drugs or not. Its not like if they legalized herion or coke that anymore ppl would use them tomorrow. If ppl wanna use drugs they will, illegal or not, so we might as well benifit from it instead of just throwing addicts in jail wasting tax dollars that they should be paying for anyway. The death penalty should also be used more. There's too many murders, rapists, and child molesters walking free and taking up room in prisons. That would curb brutal crime a lot more if you knew positively you will die if you commit a serious crime like that.Maby we should jus put a big ass international prison in the south pole and pay the natives, if there are any, to run it.

i would just like to say that no one crime is worst then the other a crime is a crime. a DUI or shoplifting should be treated the same . also for those that think a criminal should have some brain chip should think about their children and wonder if they have committed a crime like smoking marijuana. and should also suffer the same fate as those that they feel should be put to death . a speeding ticket is no less of a crime as an assault on a person . as a society we need to address the problem of poverty . and the treatment of the human being . we treat animals better then we treat mankind but expect to be treated well by those that are being oppressed . new laws are made every day that at some point will effect all and all will have to face some sort of court and they are also part of the problem . and what perfect human does a single person know on this earth to set an example from ? from the sounds of it some who have commented on the post should be the first to have that implant and lets just see how many crimes you are committing on a daily basis such as speeding . having that beer or drink with your colleague's after work and driving home even though it is just 1 it is still illegal . or those of you that buy hookers . but in truth the lawmakers are the ones who commit the most and most hurtful of crimes and then punish those as they see fit . so case in point the whole of the system is completely corrupted . and the law makers that have committed this crimes should be the first in line for this extreme punishment