By Trina A. San Agustin
Variety News Staff

YESTERDAY was the first day of dialogue on the proposal to allow inmates who are considered low risk to be released on house arrest with the condition of using a monitoring device and a monthly fee of $15 for the use of the device.
Representatives from the Supreme Court, the Attorney General’s Office, the Superior Court Probation Office, and the Department of Corrections worked on what the proposed electronic motioning devices can do for all the agencies and how these could best serve the community.
Corrections director Robert Camacho said they are discussing whether the use of the monitoring devices can improve public safety and whether it is more efficient and cost saving to use them.
“We are still trying to address those things and you know it’s still just the beginning stages. We still have to iron out other things. There are many questions we have to respond to,” said Camacho.
Camacho said his department provided documents from the Adult Probation and Parole Association and conducted a Power Point presentation of what potential technology is out there for them to use.
“We might just begin a pilot program. It will probably take a couple more meetings before we have something finalized. Everybody knows that it is something we should look into — the cost savings,” Camacho told Variety.
Another concern, according to Camacho, is funding—who will pay for the monitoring device and how they will pay for it.
Camacho said Supreme Court Chief Justice F. Philip Carbullido and Justice Robert Torres “were very receptive about the program and they said this is something we need to look at.”
“We may have another meeting in the next few weeks,” he added.
Camacho said each agency has homework to do regarding research on cost, public safety, and other issues.
Meanwhile, the proposed criteria to consider inmates as low risk have yet to be established.
“We all have to sit down and create a list of criteria as to who are considered low risk inmates. We have some homework to do and we have to analyze the numbers. We still have to find out who the potential clients are. We also have to deal with legal issues,” said Camacho.