❓ Ms. Mettam asks about electronic monitoring in WA's criminal justice system. The Department of Justice provides detailed information on device numbers, usage, costs, and monitoring processes, stating no systemic malfunctions are known.
AnsweredQoN 903Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to electronic monitoring in the Western Australian Criminal Justice System and ask: (a) How
many electronic ankle tagging bracelets does the Western
Australian criminal justice system have access to; (b) How
many electronic ankle tagging bracelets are currently in use in Western
Australia; (c) How many of these bracelets are currently being used for: (i) Pre-trial matters; (ii) Home
detention; (iii) Supervision/Parole; (iv) FDV; (v) Intensive
correction order; and (vi) Other
(please specify); (d) Who
provides the GPS bracelets used in WA; (e) Does
the Government have a contract with the companies providing these
bracelets: (i) if so: (A) When
was this contract(s) entered in to; (B) Was
there a public tender for these contracts; and (C) When
do the contracts conclude; (ii) If
not, how is the provision of these bracelets regulated; (f) What
is the purchase cost of each bracelet; (g) How
many staff are utilised for GPS monitoring purposes and across what agencies/departments; (h) What
is the estimated cost per day of electronic ankle tagging bracelets met by
the Government or Agencies (including staff costs); (i) What
is the estimated cost per day of electronic ankle tagging bracelets met by
the person who wears the ankle bracelet; (j) What
is the average time that a person is required to wear such a bracelet; (k) What
is the average time that a person is required to wear such a bracelet for FDV offences; (l) What
is the monitoring process for each electronic ankle tagging bracelet; and (m) Have
concerns been raised about malfunction or inadequate operation of these
bracelets: (i) If
so: (A) When? (B) By
whom? (C) What
was the nature of the malfunction or inadequate operation? (D) What
steps have been taken to address these concerns?
many electronic ankle tagging bracelets does the Western
Australian criminal justice system have access to; (b) How
many electronic ankle tagging bracelets are currently in use in Western
Australia; (c) How many of these bracelets are currently being used for: (i) Pre-trial matters; (ii) Home
detention; (iii) Supervision/Parole; (iv) FDV; (v) Intensive
correction order; and (vi) Other
(please specify); (d) Who
provides the GPS bracelets used in WA; (e) Does
the Government have a contract with the companies providing these
bracelets: (i) if so: (A) When
was this contract(s) entered in to; (B) Was
there a public tender for these contracts; and (C) When
do the contracts conclude; (ii) If
not, how is the provision of these bracelets regulated; (f) What
is the purchase cost of each bracelet; (g) How
many staff are utilised for GPS monitoring purposes and across what agencies/departments; (h) What
is the estimated cost per day of electronic ankle tagging bracelets met by
the Government or Agencies (including staff costs); (i) What
is the estimated cost per day of electronic ankle tagging bracelets met by
the person who wears the ankle bracelet; (j) What
is the average time that a person is required to wear such a bracelet; (k) What
is the average time that a person is required to wear such a bracelet for FDV offences; (l) What
is the monitoring process for each electronic ankle tagging bracelet; and (m) Have
concerns been raised about malfunction or inadequate operation of these
bracelets: (i) If
so: (A) When? (B) By
whom? (C) What
was the nature of the malfunction or inadequate operation? (D) What
steps have been taken to address these concerns?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
8 November 2023
Responded by
Minister for Corrective Services
Response time
9 days
The Department of Justice advises:
a) As of 10 October 2023, the Department of Justice held a total of 378 devices. The Department has access to additional devices from the contractor if required, with no cap to the numbers of devices able to be acquired under the contract.
b) On the 9 October there were 218 active GPS devices deployed. The daily figure fluctuates in accordance with order commencement and expiry, and operational deployment.
(c) On 9 October, bracelets were being used for:
(i) Pre-trial matters: 0
(ii) Home detention: 148
(iii) Supervision /Parole: 11
(iv) FDV: 44
(v) Intensive correction order: 0 (WA does not have an Intensive Correction Order)
(vi) Other (please specify):
Conditional Suspended Imprisonment - 5
High Risk Offender Order - 50
Intensive Supervision Order - 2
Post Sentence Supervision Order - 1
d) Allied Universal Electronic Monitoring Australia Pty Ltd.
e) Yes.
(i)
A. The Contract was awarded on 6 February 2020.
B. Yes.
C. The current Contract expiry date is 28 February 2026.
(ii) N/A
f) Devices are not purchased; they are leased. The current Contract cost per day for Electronic Monitoring is approximately $20 per offender. This includes all costs associated with the Agreement, excluding Departmental staff to manage operations and contracts.
g) Monitoring is conducted by the Department of Justice. As of 10 October 2023, there are 28 full time equivalent (FTE), responsible for the monitoring of offenders and defendants.
h) The estimated cost for monitoring offenders is $13,852 per day.
(i) Offenders subject to electronic monitoring are not charged for the use of devices.
j) The period each offender is required to wear the transmitter varies according to legislative requirements and the length of the order or duration specified by the Court or Prisoners Review Board.
For adult community orders closed between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023, those with electronic monitoring flagged as a condition had an average (mean) order length of 133 days, and a median order length of 71 days.
k) In addition to the information above; for adult community orders closed between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023, those with electronic monitoring flagged as a condition and associated with FDV offending had an average (mean) order length of 120 days, and a median order length of 81 days.
l) The Community Offender Monitoring Unit (COMU) staff monitor the Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) for alerts associated with the approved electronic monitoring devices worn by offenders and defendants in the community.
The device is a self-contained GPS tracking unit designed to continuously monitor the offender’s location through line of sight to GPS satellites.
Electronic Monitoring Officers are trained in the use of the monitoring equipment and respond to these alerts from the Central Monitoring Station, located at the WA Police Force State Operations Command Centre.
m) The Department is not aware of any systemic malfunctions or inadequate operation of the monitoring devices.
a) As of 10 October 2023, the Department of Justice held a total of 378 devices. The Department has access to additional devices from the contractor if required, with no cap to the numbers of devices able to be acquired under the contract.
b) On the 9 October there were 218 active GPS devices deployed. The daily figure fluctuates in accordance with order commencement and expiry, and operational deployment.
(c) On 9 October, bracelets were being used for:
(i) Pre-trial matters: 0
(ii) Home detention: 148
(iii) Supervision /Parole: 11
(iv) FDV: 44
(v) Intensive correction order: 0 (WA does not have an Intensive Correction Order)
(vi) Other (please specify):
Conditional Suspended Imprisonment - 5
High Risk Offender Order - 50
Intensive Supervision Order - 2
Post Sentence Supervision Order - 1
d) Allied Universal Electronic Monitoring Australia Pty Ltd.
e) Yes.
(i)
A. The Contract was awarded on 6 February 2020.
B. Yes.
C. The current Contract expiry date is 28 February 2026.
(ii) N/A
f) Devices are not purchased; they are leased. The current Contract cost per day for Electronic Monitoring is approximately $20 per offender. This includes all costs associated with the Agreement, excluding Departmental staff to manage operations and contracts.
g) Monitoring is conducted by the Department of Justice. As of 10 October 2023, there are 28 full time equivalent (FTE), responsible for the monitoring of offenders and defendants.
h) The estimated cost for monitoring offenders is $13,852 per day.
(i) Offenders subject to electronic monitoring are not charged for the use of devices.
j) The period each offender is required to wear the transmitter varies according to legislative requirements and the length of the order or duration specified by the Court or Prisoners Review Board.
For adult community orders closed between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023, those with electronic monitoring flagged as a condition had an average (mean) order length of 133 days, and a median order length of 71 days.
k) In addition to the information above; for adult community orders closed between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023, those with electronic monitoring flagged as a condition and associated with FDV offending had an average (mean) order length of 120 days, and a median order length of 81 days.
l) The Community Offender Monitoring Unit (COMU) staff monitor the Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) for alerts associated with the approved electronic monitoring devices worn by offenders and defendants in the community.
The device is a self-contained GPS tracking unit designed to continuously monitor the offender’s location through line of sight to GPS satellites.
Electronic Monitoring Officers are trained in the use of the monitoring equipment and respond to these alerts from the Central Monitoring Station, located at the WA Police Force State Operations Command Centre.
m) The Department is not aware of any systemic malfunctions or inadequate operation of the monitoring devices.
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