Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

House Approves Electronic Monitoring For Convicts

Non-Violent Offenders Could be Given Alternative to Prison

For Immediate Release April 17, 1998 Contact: Rep. Joe Green at (907) 465-4931.

Juneau -- The Alaska House of Representatives has given its unanimous approval to a bill that allows some non-violent criminals to serve their sentence in an electronic monitoring program. House Bill 272, sponsored by Representative Joe Green (R- South Anchorage), allows the commissioner of corrections to put criminals under electronic surveillance to serve a sentence, or part of a sentence. HB 272 passed the House 40-0.

With electronic monitoring, offenders are fitted with an electronic transmitter. The transmitter signals information to a receiver that is monitored by corrections officials. Depending on the degree of sophistication of the system, it can transmit information as detailed as location and consumption of alcohol.

"The public is telling us they want tougher sentences but we're under a court order to reduce the number of inmates in our prisons." said Green, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee. "In my opinion we really only have three options: Build more prisons, let petty criminals go free, or alternative sentencing, and I think electronic monitoring is one of the best alternative sentences."

Statistics show a rapid increase in the number of offenders nationwide who are electronically monitored, from 836 in 1988 to more than 66-thousand in 1993. There are currently electronic monitoring programs being operated for adult offenders by corrections departments in 44 states.

Green credited a group that included a state judge, prosecutor, public defender, and assistant attorney general for their work on the bill during the past summer. "They suggested some language and we took it from there. I think it'll work this time because we have the people on the front lines involved from the beginning."

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Broadcasters note: Comments are available by calling the House Majority Actuality Line at (800) 478-6540.
= Joe Green, 79 K