The Pros and Cons of House Arrest

During the summer months when most people are wondering about the latest fashionable clothes they'll wear, people on House Arrest wonder how they're going to hide the 5-ouce ankle or bracelet devices containing transmitters tracking their whereabouts. Everything from bandannas, pants, and leg warmers have been used to cover the devices. But the "freed" people cannot control the 100 to 150 feet they are allowed to walk; the approved notices to go from home to work, school, substance abuse therapy, or visits to the probation office; the frequent drug tests; or the surprise visit from probation officers.

"If Valentine's Day comes around, please don't ask and expect us to be able to let you and your girlfriend go to Red Lobster for dinner. Please don't be upset when we tell you Christmas Day that you can't go to grandma's," says Carrie Alexander, a community corrections officer, in the book Sensible Justice by David C. Anderson.

House arrest originally was not done for the eventual rehabilitation of the inmate. It was implemented to create bed space for offenders who threatened the safety of the community and public at large. Non-threatening offenders were considered a lesser risk to the public. Any inmate charged as a sexual offender or domestic violence offender was not considered to be a viable candidate for house arrest or any other community-based incarcerations such as work search or work release. The offender is still considered incarcerated; the electric monitoring device keeps track of offenders 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.