NEW YORK—New York lags behind 14 states in using GPS tracking devices to track the whereabouts of individuals under restraining orders, which have increased 46 percent between 2004 and 2008, according to New York State court data.
The rise in restraining orders comes as more women turn to legal means to protect themselves against harassment and stalking, but more offenders also ignore the orders. According to data from the New York State Unified Court System and the Office of Court Research, the number of restraining order violations have gone up 17 percent in the last four years.
Nationally, 60 percent of restraining orders are violated within one year, and violators often escalate the violence against the victim on repeat offenses. Part of the problem is that law enforcement does not necessarily have the tools to make sure these individuals are actually staying away from those the restraining order is meant to protect.
“Prosecutors and activist groups are succeeding in getting more women to get restraining orders, but we are only doing half the job if the technology doesn’t support it,” said Rep. Anthony Weiner. His bill will set up a $100 million grant program that funds local efforts to implement GPS tracking.
Tracking devices range from microchip-embedded cards that cost $1 each to more expensive ankle bracelets. The Queens district attorney already has a GPS monitoring system that the perpetrator pays for—$15 a day.
The tracking device will allow law enforcement and possibly even the victim to see on a radar screen if the offender enters a court-defined radius from the victim’s home. If the red dot is not moving for long periods of time, or is deactivated, then the police will know that the device had been removed or destroyed.
Ohio, Oklahoma, Florida, Wisconsin, California, North Carolina, and Missouri all have some form of GPS tracking for sexual offenders. Because of the differences in GPS tracking and legislation enacted in each of the states, cross-border monitoring becomes difficult. Some state tracking laws apply only to offenses against minors. While Weiner’s bill will not apply nationwide, he hopes it will be “one more arrow in the quiver of law enforcement.”
The rise in restraining orders comes as more women turn to legal means to protect themselves against harassment and stalking, but more offenders also ignore the orders. According to data from the New York State Unified Court System and the Office of Court Research, the number of restraining order violations have gone up 17 percent in the last four years.
Nationally, 60 percent of restraining orders are violated within one year, and violators often escalate the violence against the victim on repeat offenses. Part of the problem is that law enforcement does not necessarily have the tools to make sure these individuals are actually staying away from those the restraining order is meant to protect.
“Prosecutors and activist groups are succeeding in getting more women to get restraining orders, but we are only doing half the job if the technology doesn’t support it,” said Rep. Anthony Weiner. His bill will set up a $100 million grant program that funds local efforts to implement GPS tracking.
Tracking devices range from microchip-embedded cards that cost $1 each to more expensive ankle bracelets. The Queens district attorney already has a GPS monitoring system that the perpetrator pays for—$15 a day.
The tracking device will allow law enforcement and possibly even the victim to see on a radar screen if the offender enters a court-defined radius from the victim’s home. If the red dot is not moving for long periods of time, or is deactivated, then the police will know that the device had been removed or destroyed.
Ohio, Oklahoma, Florida, Wisconsin, California, North Carolina, and Missouri all have some form of GPS tracking for sexual offenders. Because of the differences in GPS tracking and legislation enacted in each of the states, cross-border monitoring becomes difficult. Some state tracking laws apply only to offenses against minors. While Weiner’s bill will not apply nationwide, he hopes it will be “one more arrow in the quiver of law enforcement.”
