KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of National Security is reporting that the pilot phase of their electronic tagging/monitoring programme for low risk inmates began on February 1 and is expected to last for three months.

According to a release from the ministry today, a full roll out of the programme is projected by the end of June 2017, subject to the Government of Jamaica’s procurement guidelines.

Arising from a series of interviews conducted by the Department of Correctional Services, 30 inmates have been selected to serve the remainder of their sentences outside of the institutions, while being monitored by an electronic system.

Earlier this year, Minister of National Security Robert Montague said the system would allow low-risk offenders to serve the remainder of their sentences within their communities, under the supervision of the Department of Correctional Services and with access to rehabilitation support.

At that time, Montague said the programme would be a ‘game changer’ for the island’s correctional services.

In discussing the electronic monitoring pilot programme, Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Pearnel Charles Jr explained that “the use of this technology will be to help modernise the provision of correctional services in Jamaica while achieving lower costs”.

The electronic tagging/monitoring system is part of the ongoing rehabilitation reform of the Department of Correctional Services and the drive to modernise the island’s security infrastructure, aimed at achieving sustainable reductions in the level of crime in Jamaica.