When someone fails to appear for a court hearing after securing a bail bond, the bail bonds company risks losing a lot of money. Previously, a company would send a bounty hunter to find you — a process that is time-consuming, costly, and often yields minimal success. Electronic monitoring offers a more practical solution, allowing bail bond agencies and courts to keep tabs on where you are, ensure you follow the court's rules, and confirm you show up for court. If you or your loved one must wear one as a bail condition, here's what you should know about how it works.
What Is Electronic Monitoring?
Electronic monitoring is a technology the criminal justice system uses to keep an eye on people on pretrial release, parole, or probation, typically through GPS devices, ankle monitors, or similar technologies that track where you are and where you go. These devices help ensure you follow the rules of your release, such as curfews, by sending real-time information to monitoring agencies or your bail bondsman. It provides a less intrusive way to ensure you stick to your bail conditions while letting you keep your job and care for your family as you await trial.
Types of Electronic Monitoring Programs
Most programs require a special ankle monitor or bracelet using one of three tracking technologies: a radio-frequency transmitter that alerts authorities if you leave home, SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring) that detects alcohol consumption, or GPS that tracks all your movements. Home detention is the simplest form, using an ankle bracelet and a home unit to keep you within court-approved boundaries; you typically cover the device costs but won't be excluded for inability to pay. SCRAM devices check alcohol levels through the skin and are common in DUI cases, allowing you to go anywhere but not drink. Drug patches, swapped weekly and tested for substances, monitor those arrested for drug offenses. GPS tracking broadcasts your location 24/7 so a monitoring center can set areas where you can and cannot go.
Who Is Eligible for Electronic Monitoring?
Courts and bail bondsmen generally reserve electronic monitoring for low-risk offenders who haven't committed serious, multiple, or violent crimes. You can usually qualify if you are a nonviolent offender with no track record of violent offenses, agree to follow all supervised monitoring rules, have a home phone, and have complied with any previous electronic monitoring conditions.
Common Rules for Electronic Monitoring
You must wear the GPS ankle monitor at all times, 24/7, with a home unit that alerts your officer if you leave the property — tampering with or removing it violates your conditions and can lead to bail forfeiture and return to custody. You must stay away from alcohol and drugs, especially in DUI or possession cases, and officers may conduct scheduled or surprise visits and random drug tests. You cannot leave the house without prior permission, though approved activities can include work, school, religious services, medical appointments, counseling, treatment programs, and community service. Finally, you must obey curfew orders, which restrict outside activities at certain times but can be adjusted for responsibilities like overtime.
Benefits and Disadvantages
Electronic monitoring reassures the court and community that you're following orders and unlikely to flee, and judges may be more open to reducing high bail amounts if you agree to GPS monitoring as a release condition. However, there are drawbacks: you may incur setup and user fees that shift the financial burden onto you and your family; exclusion zones can block access to family, school, work, or religious services; emergencies become complicated since unauthorized movements risk reincarceration; work in fields like construction or delivery can be disrupted, and warehouses can interfere with signals; unexpected schedule changes or traffic can cause technical violations; language barriers can make strict rules hard to follow; and the devices themselves can experience technical failures, false alarms, and battery issues requiring charging twice a day.
Tampering and Whether Monitoring Replaces Bail
If you tamper with your EM device, you may be rearrested and forfeit your bail. You typically have the right to a court hearing where a judge determines whether you violated your supervised release, and a conviction for attempting to escape can carry felony penalties. In many cases, electronic monitoring serves as a condition for release rather than a substitute for bail, so you might still need to pay bail even while wearing it. In some situations, a judge may release you on your own recognizance or under pretrial supervision with a monitor instead of bail, depending on the offense and your community ties, though you must still follow strict court regulations until trial.
Find a Seasoned Bail Bondsman Near Me
Deciding between traditional bail and alternatives like electronic monitoring can be tough, since each option has its own benefits and drawbacks. At King Stahlman® Bail Bonds, we focus on helping California families find the best option for release so you can return home to your loved ones while you await trial. Call us today at 619-232-7127 to find the best option for your loved one's situation.