The Czech Republic has signed a seven-year contract worth nearly CZK 94 million with Forsolution CZ to deliver and operate monitoring bracelets for home prisoners. The move to electronic monitoring is set to be relaunched next year, following a hiatus after the end of a previous contract with Israeli firm SuperCom.
According to the spokesperson for the Probation and Mediation Service (PMS), Martin Bačkovský, the company will be able to utilize 700 devices with the appropriate equipment to carry out the monitoring. The winning firm’s subcontractor will be the Polish company Enigma Systemy Ochrony Informacji.
PMS confirmed that only one company had applied for the bracelets tender. The use of electronic monitoring is expected to be reintroduced next year, after a period in which probation officers conducted random checks on prisoners serving their sentences at home.
The electronic monitoring bracelets have been designed to ensure that prisoners comply with the terms of their home detention and provide a more cost-effective, secure, and modern alternative to the traditional system of physical incarceration. The monitoring is conducted through GPS technology, which allows authorities to track the prisoner’s whereabouts at all times.
The move towards electronic monitoring of prisoners in the Czech Republic is part of a broader trend in Europe, where several countries have already adopted this method to mitigate the high costs of traditional incarceration. Moreover, it is seen as an effective way to combat prison overcrowding, a significant problem in many countries.
Electronic monitoring has also been shown to reduce recidivism rates, as it keeps offenders connected to their communities, families, and jobs. It has also been found to be effective in reducing the likelihood of re-offending, as it provides a greater level of oversight and accountability.