A Bigger Market for Electronic Monitors

Corrections centers are stocking up as they release prisoners because of Covid-19

- By Cara Tabachnick

In mid-March, as Covid-19 threatened vulnerable prison populations in the Netherlands, 200 nonviolent inmates nearing the end of their sentences were released with electronic monitoring equipment. “We heard the news on a Saturday, and by Tuesday all the prisoners had bracelets,” says Eric Staal, policy adviser for Dutch probation services. They had enough for the discharged convicts, but to ensure a steady supply, the Ministry of Justice and Security purchased 1,500 additional bracelets from Attenti Group Ltd., a leading manufacturer.

The coronavirus has decimated many businesses, but electronic monitoring (EM) makers are thriving. Governments around the world are releasing record numbers of prisoners out of concern that the pandemic poses undue risks to inmates’ health; there are about 25% to 30% more prisoners wearing bracelets now than a few months ago, according to Bloomberg Businessweek estimates. The companies are betting that this can be a test run for a longer-term shift in sentencing. Criminal justice reformers say they’re worried about an added layer of surveillance in a field that’s been rife with abuse.