Alberta government introducing ankle-monitoring program for high-risk offenders

The Alberta government is hoping to curb crimes committed by high-risk offenders. New legislation would introduce a 24/7 ankle bracelet monitoring program.

However, lawyers say it may not lead to the results for which the province hopes.

Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis put forward legislation Wednesday that would create the provincial ankle bracelet monitoring program.

“There is no place in Alberta for criminals, and Alberta’s government will do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe. A revolving door that perpetuates a cycle of releases and reoffence benefits no one,” Ellis said on Wednesday at the Alberta Legislature.

“This additional tool in the toolbox for the courts is a common sense measure to keep a close eye on those whose release is considered by the courts to pose a significant risk to the public safety.”

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The province will be putting $2.8 million into the monitoring this year. The full funding of $5.25 million will begin in 2025-26.

Currently, electronic monitoring in Alberta is typically managed by private companies, primarily within regular business hours.

“Presently, it’s the responsibility of the individual subject to court-ordered electronic monitoring to arrange their electronic monitoring through a private vendor, of which there are a number of options,” said Public Safety and Emergency Services press secretary Arthur Green.

“This is arranged independently of the provincial government, between a vendor and the individual subject to electronic monitoring conditions.”

The new program would be monitored 24/7 by a unit within Alberta Correctional Services.

“Tracking someone doesn’t stop the crime from happening. If this person has their mind set on doing it, they’re going to do it whether they’re being tracked or not. All you get is maybe, possibly, a faster way to catch them,” said Shawn King, vice-president of the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association.

King says it’s not common for the crown to ask for court-ordered electronic monitoring, he has only dealt with one case in the past seven months with a similar request.

He adds that even if the government is introducing this legislation, judges must also come on board as well.

“The province can’t tell judges you need to start implementing this particular condition, that people need to be wearing more ankle bracelets. They don’t have the authority to do that. Judges are independent, until a law is actually changed at the federal level it doesn’t change a thing,” King said.

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The St. Leonard’s Society of Canada works to address the needs of people involved in the criminal justice system. It says the province should look towards rehabilitation first.

“My reaction is whether Alberta is asking itself the right questions about whether this is the right investment to make, in terms of community well-being, community safety and support for people in our criminal justice system,” said St. Leonard’s executive director Anita Desai.

Others, like criminologist Dan Jones say there are better ways to achieve the government’s goal.

“We know we’re dealing with trauma, we’re dealing with injury and we’re trying to solve this with an ankle monitor. We have to go down to the root cause of what is causing these individuals to offend and start addressing those root causes — providing people with appropriate therapy, providing people with the ability to address their traumas and all those types of things,” Jones said.

The province is expected to implement these changes by the fall.

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