The Wisconsin State Journal’s Dee J. Hall reports that the state Legislature’s budget committee today recommended scaling back the GPS monitoring program for offenders. Lawmakers cited the Center’s reporting as a factor.
Tag: offender monitoring
Story impact: Lawmakers ask tough questions about state’s GPS tracking system
In response to a Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism report, Rep. Garey Bies, R-Sister Bay, called a hearing to question Wisconsin Department of Corrections officials about the reliability of GPS monitoring of offenders.
Case study: Offender racks up GPS violations
From January 2011 to November 2012, Aaron Hicks was arrested at least 12 times for parole violations related to his GPS monitor, spending 74 days in jail, records show.
Lost signals, disconnected lives
Thirteen offenders told the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism that Wisconsin’s GPS tracking system repeatedly fails, registering false alerts and landing the offenders in jail although they had done nothing wrong. Meanwhile, Gov. Scott Walker is proposing an expansion of nearly 50 percent in the number of offenders monitored by GPS devices.