Manitoba scrapping ankle bracelet monitors for criminals

Justice officials in Manitoba have decided to phase out the use of ankle bracelet GPS monitors for offenders on probation after a review found flaws with the program.

The review, which was initiated under the previous NDP government and completed near the end of 2016, included police and victim-services representatives. It found that in many instances, the bracelets were either inaccurate or ineffective, said Justice Minister Heather Stefanson.

"We do know that there is tampering in many instances and actually, 50 per cent of cases they were either tampered with or cut off," she said.

The ankle monitors were introduced in 2008 to monitor chronic car thieves. The program was later expanded to include people convicted of domestic assault.

Seven people are currently monitored under the program, out of approximately 8,300 people on probation in Manitoba, Stefanson said. Four of those are convicted car thieves and three are people convicted of domestic assault.

Stefanson said the ankle monitors are just one tool available to parole officers.

"The focus is going to be on intensive security of these offenders and that's done by probation officers, police officers, so we'll work in collaboration with law enforcement to ensure public safety," she said.

The program will be phased out over the next several months. Ending the program will save the government around $100,000, Stefanson said.