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The Department of Correctional Services is stepping up its approach to monitoring registered sex offenders through the introduction of electronic tracking systems. According to the Jamaica Observer, Commissioner Brigadier (Ret’d) Radgh Mason revealed that the department is working to acquire the necessary equipment and establish legal frameworks to implement GPS-based monitoring across its caseload.
Currently, the DCS oversees 528 registered sex offenders, with offenders required to report to probation officers for up to ten years following their release from prison. Mason disclosed that just over 30 offenders have breached this reporting requirement. The monitoring system would employ geofencing technology—electronic boundaries around specific locations—to track offender movements and restrict access to designated areas.
The initiative was prompted by questions from St Thomas Eastern Member of Parliament Yvonne Rose-Marie Shaw, who raised concerns about the department’s ability to monitor offenders who move between parishes and communities. Mason explained that electronic monitoring represents the modern standard for offender supervision, allowing authorities to establish restricted zones and track real-time location data.
Beyond technological upgrades, the DCS is developing specialized programming for sex offenders, with preventing harm to children identified as a priority in managing this population. Mason noted that the department maintains designated probation officers in offices across the country and provides confidential counselling services in each parish.
The commissioner acknowledged that offenders who fail to comply with reporting requirements are referred to police and the courts for enforcement action, potentially resulting in re-incarceration. However, Mason did not provide specific success rates for the current monitoring programme or detail how many of the 528 offenders have been successfully tracked over a given period.
Jamaica’s Department of Correctional Services oversees approximately 2,678 non-custodial cases in addition to its monitoring of registered sex offenders. The disclosure came during a meeting of Parliament’s Internal and External Affairs Committee, where the commissioner outlined the department’s broader approach to community-based supervision and rehabilitation.
Sex offender monitoring and public safety are critical issues across the Caribbean region. Jamaica’s move toward electronic tracking reflects broader efforts in the region to modernize correctional systems and protect vulnerable populations, particularly children, while managing offender reintegration in communities.
Sources and attribution
- Jamaica Observer
- [PDF] THE SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT – Laws of Jamaica
- [PDF] The Sexual Offences (Registration of Sex Offenders) Regulations …
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