Tracking Sex Offenders Tracking Sex Offenders

2/17/2013
2/17/2013
Steve Alexander

Steve Alexander

Table of Contents

1. Abstract - page 2

2. Brief Company History - page 2

3. Discussion of Business Problem - page 3

4. High Level Solution - page 4

5. Benefits of Solving the Problem - page 5
6. Business/technical approach - page 6
7. Technology - page 7
8. Conclusion summary - page 9

References - page 11

Abstract
The base for this paper combines my Criminal Justice knowledge with what I am learning in Information Systems. The problem is simple and it the recidivism of sex offenders and this would be effective within the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). My solution will potentially strengthen the safety of children nationwide. The solution is simple and the technology is already available and just has to be simply modified. The technology I am referring to is microchips and it is already being used to track pets. What I propose is setting up a system to track pedophiles and monitor their movements. I believe this system can be set up and used as a deterrent to prevent them from being in places where they are not allowed. This would also save money in the long run by reducing recidivism.

History
The purpose of the Department of Corrections is to protect the public from criminal offenders. This is done through a system of incarceration and supervision which securely segregates offenders from society and its victims. They also assure that the offenders receive their constitutional rights. The IDOC also maintains programs to enhance the successful reentry of offenders' into society.
The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) was started in 1970. During its creation, the agency incorporated the administration of all of the state prisons, juvenile centers and adult and juvenile parole services and unified them in a singular direction for the first time. They created the training academy afterward in 1974, which helped set the foundation of training the best staff possible for the agency’s correctional facilities. On July 1, 2006, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice was created, which segregated the adult and juvenile corrections systems.
When the IDOC originated, Illinois only had seven adult facilities. Since then, laws have become tougher thus resulted in more sentencing and longer terms. To deal with this steady increase in the inmate population, the IDOC operates 27 adult correctional centers, 2 boot camps, 7 adult transition centers, and 9 work camps.
Safety is at the top of agencies operations emphasizing the preparation of frontline staff to protect and control inmates. A number of initiatives to make sure the safety of employees and inmates have had major results. Security level designations, controlled line movement, inmate property boxes and increased monitoring of security threat groups have contributed to a more secure Illinois prison system. (Corrections, 2013)

Discussion of Business Problem The recidivism of sex offenders is not only a business problem but a social problem. This problem as I see it is twofold because recidivism two important issues. The first while from a business aspect is major but of the two issues it is the minor. This issues deals with money which is driven by the arrests, trails, conviction, and re-incarceration of offenders. The second and most important of these problems is the safety of the citizens of society.

“Post-release supervision helps decrease recidivism since it involves keeping an eye on the ex-offender, but also with assisting the ex-offender to find a job, obtain drug treatment and find housing, all of which are important to staying crime free. On the issue of housing, this is perhaps the biggest challenge facing ex-sex offenders. No one wants them and they have many legal obstacles when finding housing. And they have burnt all their bridges with society and even their family. To help reduce the chances of them re-offending, housing is important for every ex-offender. Reports released from the Bureau of Justice Statistics show that when sex offenders do recidivate with a sex offense, approximately 75% victimize an acquaintance. The important point of this is that current sex offender residential restrictions often don't account for this and many other findings.” (Heroux, 2011)

High Level Solution Now that the problem has been stated the attention will shift towards a solution. The solution concept is as state previously is very simple. In order to deter sex offenders from reoffending the IDOC needs to know where these offenders twenty-four seven. Currently the closes thing to this is the Registry but it lacks because they only have to register their place where they live and work. If you use microchips to track sex offenders you know where they are and where they are not supposed to be, schools, play grounds, parks etc.

Benefits of Solving the Problem Reliance on measures of recidivism as reflected through official criminal justice system data obviously omit offenses that are not cleared through an arrest or those that are never reported to the police. This distinction is critical in the measurement of recidivism of sex offenders. For a variety of reasons, sexual assault is a vastly underreported crime. The National Crime Victimization Surveys (Bureau of Justice Statistics) conducted in 1994, 1995, and 1998 indicate that only 32 percent (one out of three) of sexual assaults against persons 12 or older are reported to law enforcement. A three-year longitudinal study (Kilpatrick, Edmunds, and Seymour, 1992) of 4,008 adult women found that 84 percent of respondents who identified themselves as rape victims did not report the crime to authorities. (No current studies indicate the rate of reporting for child sexual assault, although it is generally assumed that these assaults are equally underreported.) Many victims are afraid to report sexual assault to the police. They may fear that reporting will lead to the following further victimization by the offender; other forms of retribution by the offender or by the offender's friends or family; arrest, prosecution, and incarceration of an offender who may be a family member or friend and on whom the victim or others may depend; others finding out about the sexual assault (including friends, family members, media, and the public); not being believed; and being traumatized by the criminal justice system response. (Unknown, 2013)
The benefits of tracking sex offenders would be beneficial to the Criminal Justice system as a hold. Part of the money and resources that the Criminal Justice system would use in the law enforcement, courts, and corrections aspect of pursuing, arresting, trails, and the housing of sexually deviant criminals when they reoffend can be allocated into other efforts. Also knowing exactly where these criminals are at any giving moment helps keeps society safe because you will know if they are in areas where they are not supposed to be.

Business/technical approach To track these sexual offenders you will need microchips, receivers, monitors and a staff. Initially there will be a significant cost but it will quickly balance out and then you will start to see the benefits. Since the IDOC is the body who is responsible for the parole and or probation aspect of the Criminal Justice system they would be the ones who would take the lead on this program.

Technology
This is an example of a microchip package:
What is the IDOC1? The IDOC1 is a GPS tracking device (Personal Tracker). It is designed to track the movements and location of the person / object carrying it using GPS technology.
It has a built-in battery, but it can also be connected to the

Product Attributes
Related attributes of Personal Tracker (GPS Tracking System for human, pets, assets, vehicles):
Type: GPS Tracker
Use: personal tracker
Screen Size: Other
Function: personal tracker
GPRS / SMS: Yes
Web-based GPS tracking: Yes
Real time tracking: Yes
Voice Monitoring: Yes
Water Resistant: Yes
GPS: Yes
Personal tracker: Yes
Vehicle tracker: Yes
Detailed Description
Detailed introduction to Personal Tracker (GPS Tracking System for human, pets, assets, vehicles):
This GPS tracker is equipped with voice monitoring functions, allowing you to listen to conversations and hear the sounds nearby.
IDOC1 is a small and compact GPS tracking device. Its casing is solid, durable and water resistant (IPX4). It features real-time tracking capabilities so you can track your device as it moves! (SIM card required) This GPS tracker is also offers Cell-ID positioning. Cell-ID positioning allows you to determine the location of the device whenever GPS signals are not available. It is ideal for asset tracking, vehicle tracking, pet tracking and people tracking (young children, elderly, patients, people with Alzheimer's disease or mental disabilities). It is a truly versatile GPS tracker!
You can use the IDOC1 to track people, pet, assets and vehicle.
For example, the IDOC1 can be used to monitor or track:
•field staff
•workforce
•young children
•elderly people
•people with Alzheimer's disease
•people with intellectual disabilities
Features:
•High sensitivity GPS chipset
•Combination of GPS and GSM/GPRS wireless network
•Quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900MHz) and GPRS class10
•Quick GPS feature that reduce the time to locate your position
•Built in buffer storage and data logger capable of recording up to 10,000 position data
•Position tracking function: locate with preset time interval or one time report via SMS or GPRS
•Effortless configuration via USB, SMS or GPRS
•SOS button for emergency rescue and action
•Low power alarm by SMS/GPRS
•Can be set to vibrate
•Voice monitoring function
•Geo fence function
•Built-in Motion Sensor
•Water Resistant (IPX4)
Online tracking using web-browser or mobile phone:
You can track the IDOC1 in real-time using IDOC web-based GPS tracking software it allows users to track their GPS devices on the Internet with a web-browser (on a PC) or with their mobile phones. (Wang, 2013)

Conclusion
“Researchers led by Alan Murray of Arizona State University studied over 1,000 registered offenders in Hamilton County, Ohio, in the Cincinnati region, at four time periods between 2005 through 2007. They found that in 2005, 41% of sex offenders in the registry lived in a restricted zone, but after December of 2006, only 30% did.
The authors suggest that this 11% reduction resulted from “more stringent enforcement of registry restrictions,” which involved actual evictions carried out under an initiative of the local sheriff and prosecutor. Another factor that might account for some of the decrease included the passage in 2006 of the Adam Walsh Act, which received wide publicity and created a national registry that requires the most risky offenders to sign in and update their information every three months.
Enforcement isn’t always possible, and other findings in their data make the research far more equivocal. The first was that 65% of offenders moved at least once during the 2.5 year study period, and prior research suggests that not having stable housing increases the risk of offending or failing to register. Second, many of these offenders resided in marginal and chaotic neighborhoods— which are often the cheapest and least restricted to offenders— and can increase recidivism in several ways. Parents are often unable to supervise children adequately due to long work hours and lack of affordable daycare, making the children more vulnerable. These areas also tend to have more crime and less economic opportunity overall, both of which can affect recidivism.

Perhaps even more concerning was that a third of offenders moved into restricted zones during the study period. It’s possible the trend isn’t significant; many rehabilitation and support services that offenders are mandated to use are located in restricted zones, and the offenders may simply move to these neighborhoods for convenience. Looking more closely at the offenders who move to restricted areas, however, 51% of those who registered only once and then failed to comply again lived in these regions, compared to 30% of those who registered faithfully. That could suggest that those who are seeking to hide their activities, presumably in plain sight, are moving to these areas, possibly to find new victims.” (Szalavitz, 2013)
In conclusion it boils down to saving money and saving people. By having sexual offenders not only register but being implanted with microchip as well this can be accomplished. The resources used to in dealing with sexual recidivism can be put into other areas of Criminal Justice such as homicides and gangs. The technology is available and from all aspects it is a good idea.

Bibliography
Corrections, I. D. (2013, 2 15). Retrieved from Illinois Department of Corrections: http://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/aboutus/Pages/default.aspx
Heroux, P. (2011, 11 8). The BLog. Retrieved from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-heroux/sex-offenders-recidivism_b_976765.html
Szalavitz, M. (2013, 2 17). Time Health and Family. Retrieved from http://healthland.time.com/2013/02/01/registries-dont-keep-sex-offenders-from-restricted-areas/
Unknown. (2013, 2 17). Recidivism of Sex Offenders. Retrieved from CSOM: http://csom.org/pubs/recidsexof.html
Wang, M. (2013, 02 17). Retrieved from http://www.traqlogic.com/