The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism uncovered flaws in Wisconsin’s GPS monitoring program for offenders. In 2013, the Center exposed problems including false alerts and lost signals that sent offenders to jail even when they did not violate terms of the monitoring. This series update found that in the past five years, the size of the program has doubled — yet many of the problems remain. Here are the stories:
Systemic failure: The Department of Corrections’ Electronic Monitoring Center routinely loses satellite signals or cell service for offenders on GPS monitoring.
Civil rights vs. GPS: U.S. courts differ on whether GPS monitoring and other control methods aimed at sex offenders violate their civil rights.
Homeless offenders: Ten percent of offenders on GPS monitoring are homeless, making it hard to keep devices charged.
Regrets of a monitoring pioneer: The man credited with helping to invent offender monitoring wishes the technology was used to rehabilitate offenders — not punish them.