Program to monitor domestic violence offenders with ankle bracelets seeks funding

“It’s where somebody can be released on conditions using an ankle bracelet program,” says Barber. “It really creates a monitoring of the offender and provides some safety for the victims and their families so that the offender can still maintain their employment and still maintain their day-to-day activities, which also helps provide that support to the family that everybody is kept safe and accountable.”

Barber says the program may also help create some lasting change for the families involved and provide opportunities for the offender to get the support that they need as well.

“We’re just in the process of finishing up bringing the program together with all the stakeholders within our community and then looking for funding to get it going,” adds Barber.

“Right now SafeTracks is the key stakeholder and the driver of this program because they’re the ones that have the ankle bracelets. Then there’s the Women’s Shelter, Sexual Assault Centre, the RCMP and Crown Prosecutors.”

Once grant funding is in place, Barber anticipates the program could be rolled-out quickly as the SafeTracks ankle bracelets are already available, as are the support services from Women’s Outreach.

(rdnewsNOW, 2017)

SafeTracks president Vince Morelli notes domestic violence unfortunately is on the rise.

“We just thought if it worked before, why not try it again and try and convince our government to step up to the plate and see how they can fund this worthy cause,” says Morelli. “We’ve spoken to local cities, the mayors of different cities and counties, as well as we’ve talked to our own Red Deer mayor. We’ve talked to MLA’s of both the NDP and now with the UCP and there is some interest from the UCP, as they’ve even mentioned in their platform and policies that they’re going to take domestic violence quite serious.”

Morelli says the UCP has stated they are going to annually fund $2 million worth of strategic electronic monitoring, but adds municipal funding is a different struggle.

“Budgets are quite tight, but the support is there,” he says. “They believe that something needs to be done but funding? That’s not going to happen.”

Morelli is confident, however, they will receive government grant funding to get the initiative off the ground.

“With the stakeholders, we’ve created quite an impressive team to sit around the table and take charge of this and move it forward,” he exclaims. “We’ve talked to local MLA’s here now and they’re behind it as well, so it’s just going to be some time.

“I’m hoping we could get something positive before the summer holidays start for the members up at the legislature, as we just want some indication that this is going to be a reality.”

Morelli admits it’s still unknown exactly how much funding will be required.

“That’s a moving target that we’re working on,” he explains. “There was discussion of up to 300 devices in Alberta and that would probably be not only for domestic violence but as well as trying to utilize them as tools for the police and different jurisdictions, whereas maybe we can disrupt the gangs and repeat offenders that we’re watching going through a turnstile at the court houses. It’s all about accountability and being compliant.”

“The women’s shelters are overcrowded, something has to be done,” he continues. “You just can’t sit idly by. It could be your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your brothers. Someone you know is involved. We need to be proactive.”

by Sheldon Spackman

Program to monitor domestic violence offenders with ankle bracelets seeks funding

What's Trending