What’s the Maker of Post-it Notes Doing in the Ankle Monitor Business? Struggling

The law enforcement community in Massachussetts had a deal. In 2012 the state entered into a contract with the leading manufacturer of electronic ankle monitors, the small GPS devices strapped over the socks of parolees and people awaiting trial to make sure they didn’t skip town or otherwise show up in places they weren’t supposed to.

There were problems from the beginning, according to corrections officials, offenders, and attorneys. For example, the battery on the bracelets was prone to dying suddenly and without warning. The internal antenna didn’t always perform well underneath certain clothing or in certain buildings. The devices sometimes relayed inaccurate navigational coordinates, leaving offenders in technical violation of the conditions of their release. Some offenders found themselves having to walk outside in the middle of the night or stand in the middle of a street to establish a satellite connection and prove to authorities that they were where they were supposed to be. A July 2015 article in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly recounted a criminal defense attorney’s tale of his client’s device showing that he had walked across a lake.