Electronic ankle bracelet: trials continue
The trials of electronic monitoring, the electronically monitored execution of sentences outside correctional facilities, in seven cantons can continue. The Federal Council recently extended the licenses, which expire at the end of 2015. The use of GPS is now also permitted, as the Federal Office of Justice has announced.
In the new sanctions law, which was passed by parliament in June 2015, the electronically monitored execution of sentences is enshrined in law and introduced as a form of execution throughout Switzerland. However, the cantons must first adapt their implementation laws and set up the infrastructure for electronic monitoring. Since this will take some time, the new legal provisions can only come into force at a time when the previous authorizations will have already expired. The Federal Council has therefore extended the licenses for the seven cantons that are already using electronic monitoring as a form of enforcement on a trial basis until the new nationwide regulation comes into force.
Use of GPS allowed
In contrast to the previous licenses, the new sanctions law basically allows the use of satellite-based monitoring elements (so-called GPS). In order for the cantons to gain experience with the use of GPS and to prepare for the upcoming legal regulation, the use of GPS is already expressly permitted with the new authorization, as the Federal Office of Justice writes.
Trials in seven cantons
Since 1999, the cantons of Bern, Basel-Stadt, Basel-Landschaft, Ticino, Vaud, Geneva and, since 2003, the canton of Solothurn have been using electronic monitoring as an alternative form of serving sentences. Electronic monitoring is used for short prison sentences instead of incarceration in a penal institution. On the other hand, the electronic ankle bracelet is used towards the end of a long prison sentence before conditional release.
Electronic Monitoring: Explanation of terms of the Office of Corrections, Canton of Zurich
