Parole Officials Overwhelmed by Data From Sex Offender Tracking Bracelets

Too Much Information, Too Little Time to Digest It

We all face sensory overload at some point, but most of us do not have the safety and well-being of the public riding on our ability to quickly process and prioritize massive amounts of information. Unfortunately, the understaffed parole officers in California do. Less than 275 parole agents are currently in charge of tracking nearly 6,500 paroled sex offenders throughout the state.

What the Bracelets Are Intended to Do

California's $60 million program to track parolees who have committed sex-related offenses - the most aggressive program of its kind in the nation - using global positioning system (GPS) technology is laudable. In theory, the system should follow each parolee's progress and map his or her physical location in real time. Such a system should be able to easily prove violations of restraining orders, locate parolees who may have failed to check in with parole/probation officials as required and ensure that offenders do not wander into forbidden territory (like school zones or parks). It could also serve as a tool for parolees, helping teach them about the importance of obeying the conditions of probation and giving them an incentive to focus on rehabilitation.

What They Actually Do

The reality is that, as staffing levels remain stagnant in the face of budgetary constraints, the relatively few officers charged with keeping track of this data are so inundated with meaningless information from the GPS devices (receiving email or cell phone alerts for every single low battery or if a parolee innocently puts one foot into a prohibited area) - each officer received an average of 3,700 of them last year alone - that it is impossible for them to prioritize resources and handle the most pressing issues. Making parole officers unable to adequately assess if there is an immediate threat to public safety.

What to Do Next

Unless the system can be reformed, the commendable purposes of preventing crime and helping rehabilitate offenders will not be served. There are "fixes" currently being explored, such as the possible use of ranking GPS alerts by urgency, putting the most resources into those parolees with the greatest chance of recidivism and analyzing tracking data only a few times per month for lower risk offenders. However, until such a time when a more effective parole system is put into place, one that serves the public, protects the rights of parolees and ensures that they will get the help they need, the current program is considered the best that California can do.