Shaping The Next Generation Of Offender Tracking
Over the past few weeks our ‘Fighting Crime with Technology’ series has explored some of the ways in which the use of Microsoft technologies, services and our extensive network of partners is empowering law enforcement operatives and the justice system to transform the way they serve the public. From managing unfolding incidents on the front line through smarter and swifter sharing of information, collecting and cataloguing evidence digitally, to courtroom video testimony, technology is making the fight against crime more effective than ever.
The next stage of this process is offender rehabilitation, and one where the use of technology is beginning to accelerate and transform certain areas of operation.
As part of the planned prison system shake-up detailed in last month’s Queen’s Speech, the government announced that it plans to allow eight police forces to pilot satellite tracking of offenders using GPS tagging. As part of the pilot, offenders are given a tag that is used to track and monitor their location and movements. By uploading that data into a databases, police forces will then be able to compare an offender’s movements to any recorded crime data and so any co-location to a crime event could be identified.
Last year, research conducted by Policy Exchange into the ‘Future of Corrections‘ found that 58% of the public, and an overwhelming majority of frontline police and probation officers, would support the “comparison of the movements of offenders against crimes reported to police”.
Aside from key operational improvements this could yield for police forces, tracking offenders this way could have significant cost savings across the correctional and rehabilitative system. For example, it costs the UK taxpayer an estimated £26,645 a year to keep someone detained in prison, while estimates for monitoring an offender with an electronic tag over the same period ranges between £3000-£6,000.
From a budgetary standpoint it is clear that allowing offenders to serve at least part of their sentence outside of prison could alleviate some of the financial burden weighing down an industry that is in need of reform.
But how can this be applied across the UK? And what are the other benefits?
The type, portability and availability of data from a new wave of discreet, offender-worn GPS tracking devices is empowering police forces, rehabilitation organisations, and most importantly the individuals themselves to be part of a system that is much more geared toward preventing recidivism and further disruption to the public, or the perpetuation of disorderly behaviour.
The Next Generation of Offender Tracking – June 28th, Microsoft Paddington
MintTulip and MITASS have partnered to develop the Next Generation of Offender Tracking solutions built on the Microsoft Azure IoT suite, and we invite you to join them at our London Paddington offices on June 28th to discuss the future of offender tracking.
Open to those involved in offender rehabilitation, ranging from MOJ policy makers and Prison Governors to police officers responsible for Integrated Offender Management, the event will offer insight into modern integrated offender management technologies, and provide attendees with a fantastic opportunity to help shape the delivery of the next generation offender tracking solution.
Microsoft’s Simon Francis will also be lifting the lid on the transformative power of the Internet of Things, covering the IoT market and where we see possibilities for business; how we deliver IoT through our various technologies; examples of where the IoT is already delivering benefit to customers; and what next steps organisations need to take to engage with us.
For further event information including a full agenda and registration details, please click below.
Register for The Next Generation of Offender Tracking – June 28th
