1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to management of correctional supervision programs, and more specifically, to monitoring of criminal offenders in correctional supervision programs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Billions of dollars are spent annually on the world's prison systems. In addition to hard costs, much time and money are spent on tracking criminal offenders in programs of correctional supervision, such as probationers and parolees.
Several inefficiencies contribute to the costs associated with corrections programs, due in large part to the structure of correctional supervision. For example, parolees and probationers are monitored by corrections officers on an individual basis, using enforcement tactics that often are not effective, such as telephone calls to confirm an offenders' location. This monitoring requires extensive investigation and follow up, for example confirmation of employment on a regular basis.
In addition, the collection of monies owed by an offender, including supervisory fees, court-ordered fines, and/or restitution payments usually is the responsibility of the corrections officer. Thus, corrections officers must balance their time between their supervisory and collections roles, often leading to conflicts in management of their caseload.
In addition, the current system of monetary exchange between a correctional facility, a probationer or parolee, and/or a recipient of restitution is administratively costly to the correctional facility and forces the facility to assume the risk of check fraud resulting from keeping an inventory for paper checks. Further, often parolees and probationers are unbanked individuals, often as a result of their criminal record.
Therefore, there is a need for a method of correctional supervision that is less time consuming for corrections officers, allows for easier collection of monies owed by offenders, and is more cost effective for correctional facilities.