GPS Tracking ROI

GPS is great. Before handheld receivers became widespread, how did we ever find small boxes of random crap in the woods? Stalkers were among the first to see the technology’s potential, using it to track the movements of ex-girlfriends by sticking modified cell phones beneath their vehicles, but the state of California thinks that GPS is ready to enter a new market: the hood.

San Bernardino county wants to start tagging gangbangers with GPS transponders. County commissioners have applied to the state to be part of a pilot program that would monitor all offenders who are released from jail after serving time for gang-related activities.  Full article on tracking gang members with GPS here.

It’s no secret i’ve been in favor of GPS tracking of criminals, parolles and even those out on bail accused of certain crimes for a long time.  A few articles I enjoyed include GPS and Darwin, a number of Megan’s Law type cases, Preparing for GPS tracking Success and many others … use the Search or the Categories tabs to read more.

But prevention of crime is certainly smarter than detections and arrests … and this is a smart move on the part of San Bernardino County, California.

We’ve all seen the movies or read the sad accounts of how kids, who weren’t “bad” kids when they started out, turn into criminals and often go “over the edge” and sink into a life of crime.  This costs society dearly, not the least of which is the loss of the productive aspects of young people’s lives.  Who has any idea what the average “low life” rotting in long-term incarceration might have been capable of if he or she had been successfully diverted from crime the very first time a minor offence occurred?  This is not some sort of liberal (or Liberal) molly-coddling idea, this is a thought that a hard-nose, bottom-line oriented businessman would embrace … protect your assets, correct deficiencies, and mold them into usefull tools to enhance your business.  in this case, we’re talking about the business of life.

Another reason this makes good sense 9as well as dollars and cents) is that these gangs are demonstrateably not lead by mental ginats.  They exists, in large part, because the police frequently can’t keep their eye on them very well, and it’s pretty hard ti effectively penetrate teen gangs with undercover police … since there aren’t many 15yo police officers.  But put a bracelet on as many young gang members as possible and a whole new page of anti-crime intelligence possibilities open up.

The costs of efforts like this, compared with the costs of patrol officers in cars and other traditional responses is cheap.  The benefits, both in short-term crime prevention and long-term avoidance of wasted lives are huge.  If your local law enforcement folks aren’t looking seriously at innovative programs like this, find out why.  And don’t accept that time-worn BS answer of ‘we don’t have the funds.”  The funds are being spent every day, they just aren’t being spent smartly.