Electronic Monitoring in Portugal

• In Event: Technology and control in community sanctions

Abstract

Electronic monitoring has grown in scale, scope and application in several Western countries over the last few decades. It is a highly versatile technology because it can be used at all stages of involvement with the criminal justice system, namely as a pre-trial measure, as a condition for the suspension or enforcement of a prison sentence, and as a pre-release measure for prisoners. Electronic monitoring can also be used for victim protection.
The (alleged) benefits of electronic monitoring are widely promoted through political and media discourses that emphasise the potential reduction of prison overcrowding and associated costs, the maintenance of social ties and the reduction of recidivism. Such overly optimistic expectations have therefore led institutions such as the Council of Europe to recommend the use of electronic monitoring across jurisdictions.
In Portugal, the use of electronic monitoring has increased significantly. However, 20 years after its introduction, there is a lack of studies exploring its impacts. In this paper, I critically examine the paradoxes that characterize its application based on ongoing empirical work.

Author

• Rafaela Granja, University of Minho