TERRACE — Imagine being imprisoned in your own home. That’s an option some nor- ‘hwest residents can choose as an alternative to jail time at the correctional centre. It’s all made possible by radio ‘ransmilting equipment that's sart of the corrections depart- nent's - electronic monitoring 3rogram, The program has been used ‘or three years in the Lower Mainland, but’ is just’ three ~.weeks.ald-in the northwest. Terrace's first home-style orisoner started a three-week rm for impaired driving last nonth and completed his ientence recently. Two more lorthwest prisoners — one in Terrace, one in Prince Rupert — are on the systern right now. The system consists of a ransmitter shackled to a per- ion’s leg, a monitoring device in the home, and a mainframe somputer in Vancouver. The- person is effectively inder house arrest, Any time fhe person goes beyond a 150-foot. radius of the home nonitor unit, an alarm is trig- yered and ihe absence is record- id, District ccrrections director Rob Watts says any absences must be explained. And if the axplanation isn’t a good one, the person can be pulled off the program and put back in jail. “We can go in and do a ran- dom check on them any time we want — they agree to it,’” he ad- ded. ‘“They have no idea when they’re being checked.’’ The mainframe computer in Vancouver also phones up the home unit at random intervals to ensure the person is at home. Waits said the transmitter bracelet is virtually indestruc- Briefly Kalum crossing _ THE CITY is considering ‘installing a controlled : pedestrian crossing on ‘ Kalum St. but has yet to : decide just where the, cross-. ying will goss: oh It’s a new kind of crowbar hotel They ¥ Although the planning and: ~ : public works committee had ‘ recommended the Loen Ave. ‘ intersection, alderman and ‘committee chairman Mo : Takhar says it wants to take * another look at the issue, ‘There are suggestions that ’ the Scott Ave. intersection : would be a better chcice. ’ Whatever the final deci- "sion, the push-button light controlled crossing will ap- > pear in the first draft of the - 1992 capital projects budget. - Council which will then - decide. whether to approve _ the $60,000 project, As for a tourism and economic advisory commis- sion suggestion traffic lights be installed at the corner of Kaium and Lazelle, the city will wait for the results of a . traffic flow survey before making a decision. ' RCMP Inspector Larry - Yeske has pointed out more “accidents occur at the Lazelie-Eby intersection than t Lazelle-Kalum. ware trss et nee Prevrrerceree Mary Graydon Birthday bash A COMMITTEE to plan events surrounding the coun- try’s 125th birthday is out gathering ideas on and sup- port for what could take place July 1. The committee grew out of a meeting held March 5, Those being contacted in- clude service clubs, schools” and © community organiza-_ tlons;- said - committee ‘spokesman Mary. Graydon. ; ~The next meeting is April ‘§, 7:30 p.m, at city hall, SPEER PT TS ES Pa Re re te eee ree Eee table, and works in baths and showers, “It is tamper-proof,’’ adds correctional centre director Pat Walker, noting any efforts to remove or tamper with the bracelet triggers an alarm, ‘‘It knows when it’s being played with as opposed to just taking a bump,”’ Not all criminals can get into the program. Watts said it’s restricted to non-violent of- fenders — with no record of sexual. offences. — serving sentences of four menths or less. Typically, that means im- paired drivers, shoplifters, fraud perpetrators and the like. The person must agree to serve at least four hours a week of community work service. “We work on the principle that you don’t put people into the program who are going to cause a problem,'’ Waits said. The program is primarily aimed at people who are work- ing, going to school, receiving treatment or caring for children. The home monitor unit is specially programmed to allow the person to be away for specific hours each week. That can help an offender get back on his feet by continuing to keep a job or receive training or treatment while doing time, That’s particularly useful with people from some of the more remote northern com- munities, who would otherwise have to serve time at the correc- tional centre in Terrace — far from work and family. The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 18, 1992 — Page A3 must obey - TERRACE — People in the ankle bracelet program have to agree lo all of its conditions or risk going to jail, “This is highly restricted - supervision,’ says local correc- tions centre director Pat Walker. ‘'A person is basically restricted to their own house.’” ‘It's an interesting technology,’' district correc- tions director Rob Watts adds. “YT don’t buy the argument of some human rights people that this is too intrusive — there’s nothing more intrusive than putting people in jail.”’ New variations of the system are also being developed, Watts said. One example is a pager- style alarm unit that goes off when an offender on the pro- gram comes too close to it. It can be carried by women as an alarm system to warn them if a prisoner — who is under a no- contact order not to.see the woman -— comes within a specified distance. Watts said the program’s main goal is security, but added there are many economic and rehabilitative benefits as well, There are as many as 150 peo- ple on the program province- wide at any given time. ‘‘That’s system works in any area where HIGH- TECH manacles like this ankle bracelet transmitter are being used to put criminals under house the size of a fairly major institu- there are direct phone lines. arrest instead of in jail, The system is now in use in the northwest for-the first time. - tion,’? Watts noted, VERY SMOOTH. your style, A VACHINE Halitasgow bt Lilis ce Pe This ride will really move you — with ease. ¢ Aerodynamic styling * Sport tuned suspension ® Power front disc brakes ¢ Remote sport mirrors _ VERY ROOMY. _ Make room for the LeMans. [t has for you. ® Trunk space so generous you wan't believe your eyes. i) years or + 100, 000 km. Whichever comes first. * Buy now, and along with the GM Total (3 years or 60,000 km. 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