GPS Could Be Used To Track Sex Offenders

[RobBrady]

Following new reports of navigational software being used to monitor the activities of criminals, government plans could see GPS services used to track sex offenders if approved.

A pilot scheme for the plan is scheduled to begin next April. An ankle tag, similar to that already fitted to some criminals, would be fitted to those who have been convicted of sexual offences or crimes against children.

The GPS system would then monitor the movements of the individuals to prevent them from accessing areas where they might have an opportunity to reoffend - such as schools and playgrounds or victims' addresses.

Police would be alerted if the individuals accessed these areas, allowing them to act swiftly and apprehend those in danger of committing further crimes.

The scheme follows an independent review of the Ryan Yates case, which saw the Scottish Government originally consider the use of GPS tracking when monitoring the activities of former criminals who are no longer imprisoned.

The trial is set to help authorities determine whether the system is a viable option and to evaluate its effectiveness in terms of practicality.

The exact details of how the scheme will work are yet to be disclosed, but both low and high risk offenders are expected to be involved.

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Robert Brady
Editor, Pocket GPS World
The Premier GPS / SatNav Resource for News, Reviews and Forums

[DennisN]

Pardon my scepticism, but this sounds like more of the same old sound bite policy.

Imagine how many people would need to be tagged, and how many people would need to be employed to watch out for them straying into inappropriate areas??? Would there be different categories of wearers and different categories of inappropriate areas? (paedos not allowed near schools, how near? Drunks not allowed near pubs? Football hooligans not allowed near footie grounds, yobs not allowed on housing estates?) Sounds like an operational nightmare. Or would the incredibly comprehensive system do the monitoring, sort it all out and only blow the alarm for the correct breach?

And police would react fast? Which police would that be after the cuts?

Frankly, from the very little I've read on the subject, it seems most areas are inappropriate and there are a helluva lot of tagable people. Good sound bite, though. But watch out for the conspiracy theorists and the Anti-Big-Brother brigade.

I blame the Tories (or was that the LibDems, or the Labourites?).
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

[Guivre46]

Sounds like a gravy train for the human rights lawyers.
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Mike R [aka Wyvern46]
Go 530T - unsupported
Go550 Live [not renewed]
Kia In-dash Tomtom

[Kar98]

[DennisN]

Thanks for that, Kar98. And so the further point is how does a paedophile get from A to B? How does he/she get across town? I guess a similar map would show for most cities in UK too. Perhaps another point is where do they get to live - and how many are already living within such areas?
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Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

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