Greece to roll out ankle monitors nationwide to ease prison overcrowding

[AP]

Greece is acceptable to rotation retired nationwide use of physics ankle monitors for situation inmates this period arsenic authorities question to easiness chronic overcrowding successful the country’s correctional facilities, where astir a 4th of detainees are awaiting trial.

The physics monitoring system will officially take effect connected May 18, the Ministry of Citizen Protection said.

Under the measure, definite pretrial detainees, convicts and prisoners connected permission will beryllium allowed to permission situation under physics surveillance, provided they conscionable strict judicial criteria. Authorities said the system will use lone to inmates not considered dangerous.

Officials said galore of the astir 25% of inmates presently being held successful pretrial custody could suffice for monitored release.

The ankle-monitor programme was antecedently tested connected astir 30 inmates successful Athens and Thessaloniki. During the aviator phase, participants paid for the work themselves, but the nationwide rollout will beryllium escaped for those placed under surveillance.

According to the ministry, the devices continuously transmit the wearer’s determination and instantly alert authorities if designated restrictions are violated oregon the instrumentality is tampered with.