Hood River County Telmate Guardian

Problem

PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR OR ACTIVITY

When managing high caseloads, parole and probation officers lack the time and resources to provide enough supervision to those offenders with the highest risk and need.

In contrast, over-supervising low-risk offenders may actually cause them to respond worse, particularly if it interrupts stable factors in their lives such as schooling or employment.

IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY

When offenders are not appropriately supervised to their level of risk and need, they are more likely to recidivate, resulting in increased victimization in the community.

Solution

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Telmate Guardian is a low-cost offender monitoring application that can be installed on any smartphone. Offenders receive random prompts to “check-in” by video, which is immediately available for review. The frequency of check-ins is set by the case manager and can be triggered manually at any time. The app also features GPS monitoring and comes with software to track and log all check-ins.

Hood River County plans to use this technology to monitor low-risk offenders to target supervision time and resources toward those who are high risk. The program will provide the least-restrictive supervision for low-risk offenders, allowing them to continue with their daily lives and reduce the likelihood that over-intervention and interactions with higher-risk offenders will have a negative impact on their progress.

BASED ON RESEARCH

• Use of risk, needs and responsivity principle
• Based in concept of “least restrictive sanction and custody”

FUNDING

This program is funded by a $13,200 grant through the 2015-17 Justice Reinvestment Grant Program. Hood River estimates it will serve 40 low-risk offenders during a a two-year period.

Outcome

PROGRAM IMPACT

Proposed outcome measures:

• Reduced recidivism
• More officer time and resources targeted toward high-risk population