Sejus expands the number of electronic ankle bracelets and reduces costs.
The State Secretariat of Justice and Citizenship (Sejus) has increased the number of contracted electronic ankle bracelets by 1.400, bringing the total to 3 devices available to the local Judiciary. Sejus has also managed to reduce maintenance costs. Previously, the Portable Tracking Unit (UPR), used by those serving sentences against domestic violence, and the standard ankle bracelet cost R$ 242,24 per month. Now, the UPR costs R$ 160,85 and the ankle bracelet costs R$ 210,75.
Ceará 247 - An alternative to serving sentences and helping to combat overcrowding in prisons throughout Brazil, electronic ankle monitoring has just received a boost in Ceará. The State Secretariat of Justice and Citizenship (Sejus) has increased the number of contracted devices by 1.400, bringing the total number of ankle monitors available to the local Judiciary to three thousand. Currently, 1.658 are already in use.
Ilma Uchoa, coordinator of the Monitoring Center at Sejus (State Secretariat of Justice), indicates that this equipment will help bring the service to municipalities in the interior of the state. “In addition to reinforcing the monitoring of prisoners in the semi-open regime, these ankle bracelets will support the decentralization of custody hearings.” The expectation is that the first cities in the interior to receive the service will be Sobral, Quixadá, and the procedure will be reactivated in Juazeiro do Norte.
The Department of Justice also managed to reduce the cost of maintaining the ankle monitors. Previously, the Portable Tracking Unit (UPR), used by those serving sentences against domestic violence, and the standard ankle monitor cost R$ 242,24 per month. Now, the UPR costs R$ 160,85 and the ankle monitor costs R$ 210,75.
Customer Service
Ilma Uchoa emphasizes that, for Sejus (the state's justice department), the work of electronic monitoring is not just about watching and knowing the location of those using the equipment. “It requires a whole range of assistance, information, and awareness-raising for the prisoner and their family. They need to know that the ankle bracelet indicates that they are continuing to comply with a precautionary measure or finishing serving their sentence under a progressive regime, but in a different way,” adds the coordinator.
Today, inmates arriving from custody hearings and penitentiary units watch a video with information about the equipment and general guidelines to ensure no rules are broken, which could lead to a violation. In addition to the Sejus (Secretary of Justice), in the ankle monitoring waiting room, the video is also shown at the Arrests Division, where custody hearings take place.