The cost of incarceration is skyrocketing in many states. A large portion of prison populations are individuals who received technical violations. A technical violation occurs when a person under community supervision fails to comply with their probation or parole terms. This could be anything from missing a check-in, interview, appointments, meetings with their supervisors, failing drug tests, and being unable to secure employment. However, individuals end up back in prison, costing states millions to provide resources and cover incarceration costs.
The Crime Report published an article about how ‘technical’ violations of parole are costing New York State $680 million. As well as directly impacting released individuals and the justice system, technical violations also “impacts taxpayers, as they are the ones that supply a large sum of the enormous reincarceration cost.” A change is crucial in order to reduce costs and recidivism. Finding ways to reduce technical violations and having a more rehabilitative approach when it comes to relationships between the criminal justice system and individuals is key. Across many states, upwards of 50% of individuals back in prison are due to technical violations. A rehabilitative approach would save time, money, and resources from technical violations that could then be allocated and invested into programs and services to help individuals successfully reintegrate back into society.
TRACKtech is working to reduce recidivism and technical violations through our whole person rehabilitative solutions. TRACKtech solutions provide officers and clients the ability to easily contact and communicate via video conferencing, two-way messaging and through biometric identification check-ins. Behavioral health resources, as well as food, educative and life skills resources, are available through the TRACKphone for clients. These provide individuals with the support and resources they need to reintegrate into society. By providing these resources to individuals and a way for communication between them and supervisors, technical violations can be greatly reduced, as well as recidivism. Resources need to be reallocated to better support individuals outside the criminal justice system.