> OFFENDERS
ELECTRONICALLY
MONITORED SENTENCES
AND ORDERS
Information from your Probation Officer
Information from your Probation Officer | 1
INTRODUCTION
GETTING STARTED
• The Court or the New Zealand Parole Board has
THE PEOPLE INVOLVED
imposed electronic monitoring as part of your
sentence or order. This requires you to wear an
Probation Officer: the person at Corrections who will
electronic tracker 24 hours per day, seven days a
manage your sentence or order from start to finish.
week. A monitoring unit will be installed in your
You will be allocated a Probation Officer for the
home.
duration of your sentence or order. Your Probation
• This booklet provides you with information about
Officer will take enforcement action for any non-
electronic monitoring to help you complete your
compliance.
sentence or order successfully. It is important you
Your Probation Officer will:
understand how your sentence or order works
Your Probation
If you have any
• explain your sentence or order conditions
with electronic monitoring.
Officer will
questions please
complete a full
• provide you with contact phone numbers
talk with your
• Please show this booklet to anyone sharing your
induction with
including an after hours phone number
Probation Officer.
residence.
you explaining the
• visit you at your residence regularly (unless you
requirements of
are on community detention)
your sentence
or order.
• check that you meet all of your conditions
• assist you to address your offending
My Probation Officer is:
• prepare reports for the court or Parole Board
when required
• liaise with the Electronic Monitoring Centre
My Probation Officer’s contact details are:
Your Probation
• give advice and support to anyone sharing your
Officer will meet
residence.
with you and your
family / support
Monitoring company: The company contracted to
people regularly
supply and maintain monitoring equipment and carry
through your
out monitoring checks.
sentence or order.
The after hours contact number for emergency/urgent requests is:
Field Officer: The person from the monitoring
0800 555 677
company who will install, maintain and check the
monitoring equipment and respond to any alerts.
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ELECTRONICALLY MONITORED SENTENCES AND ORDERS
Information from your Probation Officer | 3
THE DOCUMENTS YOU NEED TO
SENTENCES AND
KNOW ABOUT
ORDERS
Court order: An order from the court setting out the
standard, and any special, conditions of your sentence.
You MUST carry
your court order
Release licence: Sets out the standard, and any special,
HOME DETENTION AND PAROLE WITH
or release licence
conditions of your order, as directed by the Parole
RESIDENTIAL RESTRICTIONS
and any direction
Board.
notice with you
While you are on home detention or parole with
when you leave your
Direction notice for approved absence: This sets
residential restrictions you will be electronically
residence. You must
out the exact time, date, purpose and activities of
monitored at all times.
show these to any
an approved absence, as well as the route you will
Police or Probation
travel.
• You must stay at the residence specified on your
Officer on request.
court order / release licence for the period of
Instruction to report (ITR): A direction from a Probation
your sentence. If your circumstances change or
Officer to report to a certain place at a certain time.
you want to move to another residence you must
talk to your Probation Officer first.
You can only
live at a residence that has been approved by
You must not
your Probation Officer.
leave your
Reporting requirements
residence early
or return late
During your sentence or order, you will be required to
from an approved
report to your Probation Officer and your Probation
absence.
Officer will also complete regular home visits. Your
Probation Officer will explain how often you have to
report in during your sentence or order.
If you do not report as required you may face
enforcement action.
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ELECTRONICALLY MONITORED SENTENCES AND ORDERS
Information from your Probation Officer | 5
Approved Absences
COMMUNITY DETENTION
You will be given
• If your conditions allow it and your Probation
a direction notice
Officer has approved it, you may leave your
While you are on community detention you will
if you have
residence:
be required to wear your tracker 24 hours a day,
been granted an
− to comply with any special conditions
seven days a week and will be subject to a specified
approved absence.
curfew period. Your Probation Officer will explain the
− to look for, or go to work
You must keep
requirements of your sentence or order.
− to attend training, other activities or
this with you at
programmes
Reporting requirements
all times and show
it to any Police or
− to attend a restorative justice conference or
• Initial reporting (within 24 hours) for your
Probation Officer
other process relating to your offending
sentence induction and planning.
on request.
− for any other purpose specifically approved by
• Other reporting as directed.
If you are unable
your Probation Officer
to leave your
If you have other sentences to complete while you
• You can leave the residence in an emergency but
electronically
are on community detention you will have other
you must tell your Probation Officer as soon as
monitored
reporting requirements which you must also follow.
possible.
residence for an
approved absence
Approved absences
Hours and locations
you must contact
Absences will not be granted for Community
All approved absences must normally be:
the Community
Detention.
• able to be monitored, or where you can provide
Probation staff
However, if you have also been sentenced to
confirmation of your attendance, or that you are
member managing
supervision or intensive supervision, the Community
with an approved sponsor at all times
your sentence.
Probation staff member managing your sentence may
• between the hours of 7am and 9.30pm (with the
approve an absence so you can:
exception of employment). This means you must
• look for, or go to work
be back at your residence from any absence by
9.30pm.
• attend training or other rehabilitative or re-
integrative activities or programmes
Overnight absences
Overnight absences will only be permitted in
• attend a restorative justice conference or any
exceptional circumstances and are subject to
other process relating to your offending
approval.
• carry out any tasks from a restorative justice
process.
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ELECTRONICALLY MONITORED SENTENCES AND ORDERS
Information from your Probation Officer | 7
LEAVING YOUR
SOME GENERAL RULES
ELECTRONIC
Access to your residence
MONITORING
While you are on electronic monitoring, your
residence must be accessible to Field Officers, Police
RESIDENCE
and your Probation Officer at all times – 24 hours a
day, seven days a week, and in all weather. Dogs on
Failure to comply
the property must be controlled for others’ safety.
You must NOT leave your electronic monitoring
with any special
residence at all while subject to electronic
Anyone who refuses access to a Probation Officer,
condition is a
monitoring except:
Police or any authorised person checking the
breach of your
Talk to your
equipment, such as a Field Officer, may be charged
sentence or order
Probation Officer
• in an emergency (see below)
under section 80T or 69H of the Sentencing Act 2002
and you may face
if you have any
• for an absence approved by your Probation
or section 72 of the Parole Act 2002. If convicted
enforcement
questions about what
Officer.
of refusing entry, you may be fined up to $5000 or
action.
may qualify as an
imprisoned for up to three months.
If you do leave your residence without permission
emergency.
you may be subject to enforcement action such as a
Changes in circumstance
term of imprisonment or fines of up to $2000.
If your circumstances change you must tell your
Probation Officer immediately.
Emergency Absences
Emergencies are situations where you must leave
Programs and special conditions
A Probation
your residence to:
Officer will
Your sentence or order may include a special
issue you with
condition to attend one or more programmes to help
• get urgent medical or dental treatment
an instruction
you address the causes of your offending such as:
It is important
• avoid risk of death or injury (fire, flood,
to report or
you contact your
• a residential treatment programme
earthquake)
a direction
Probation Officer as
• a rehabilitation programme delivered by
• escape actual or threatened danger such as
notice for each
soon as possible if you
departmental facilitators
domestic violence. In these circumstances
occasion that
have to leave in an
• community-based programmes such as alcohol and
contact the Police as soon as possible.
you must attend
emergency.
drug counselling or domestic violence programmes.
a programme
or counselling
You may also have other special conditions that you
appointment.
should not contact the victim/s of your offending
and/or should stay away from certain individuals or
groups such as gangs.
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ELECTRONICALLY MONITORED SENTENCES AND ORDERS
Information from your Probation Officer | 9
WORKING WHILE ON ELECTRONIC
UNSUITABLE ACTIVITIES
MONITORING
Some activities are not suitable for you to take part
in while you are wearing the tracker because of the
You may be able to work outside your electronically
risk of damaging the tracker or hurting yourself or
monitored residence but only with the permission of
others.
your Probation Officer.
Even if you have an approved absence for sporting
You and your Probation Officer will need to speak to
activities, there are still limits on the types of things
your employer to seek your employer’s approval.
you can do.
Unsuitable employment
Unsuitable activities include:
Some types of employment are not suitable for
• water sports (water skiing, surfing, diving etc)
offenders on electronic monitoring.
• contact sports (rugby, league, soccer, hockey, kick
You are unlikely to be allowed to take on work that:
boxing, etc)
• has casual hours or on-call requirements
If you want to
• flying (civil aviation regulations require removal
• is related to your offending (eg, with co-
participate in any
of the tracker before flying).
offenders) or gives you unsupervised access to
activity you must
Some locations might be unsuitable for you to visit
types of places where you have offended
speak to your
such as hospitals where the tracker may interfere
Probation Officer
• occurs where the monitoring tracker may
with on-site equipment.
first.
interfere with on-site equipment (eg, some
hospital work)
• requires you to be away from your residence
overnight or for more than 24 hours
• requires you to carry out any activity that is
not suitable while wearing the monitoring
equipment (see unsuitable activities)
• takes place where your presence cannot be
verified.
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ELECTRONICALLY MONITORED SENTENCES AND ORDERS
Information from your Probation Officer | 11
ELECTRONIC MONITORING
ELECTRONIC MONITORING EQUIPMENT
The equipment
Tracker: A waterproof, tamper-proof ankle strap fitted
with a transmitter. This must be worn at all times
during your sentence.
Monitoring unit: The monitoring unit is installed at
the residence to monitor your movements.
You need to charge
your GPS tracker
Cordless charger: This is a charging unit which plugs
for two (2)
into the bottom of your tracker.
hours every day.
GPS Tracker
RF Tracker
Charging your tracker: If you have a GPS tracker
you will be required to charge this for 2 hours every
day. The cordless charger enables you to charge your
tracker without being tethered to a power socket and
will allow you to carry out most normal activities in
your home environment while charging. You must not
take the cordless charger away from your residence.
IT IS
IMPORTANT
It’s a breach of your conditions not to charge your
YOU DON’T
RF
tracker.
Monitoring Unit
TOUCH THE
GPS
MONITORING
Installation
Monitoring Unit
UNIT.
The monitoring unit and tracker are usually installed
If the unit is moved the day you are sentenced. The monitoring unit will
it will send a
be plugged into a power socket and put somewhere
tamper signal to the it cannot be bumped or moved.
monitoring centre
The Field Officer adjusts the monitoring unit and
indicating the unit
the tracker so the two devices can communicate. You
may have been
will be asked to walk around the property while the
tampered with.
Field Officer checks the boundary range (as defined
by the Probation Officer) and the signal. This sets
the boundary you cannot cross while you are on
electronic monitoring unless you have permission
Cordless charger
from your Probation Officer.
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ELECTRONICALLY MONITORED SENTENCES AND ORDERS
Information from your Probation Officer | 13
TAKING CARE OF
FREQUENTLY
YOUR ELECTRONIC
ASKED QUESTIONS
MONITORING
Can I have my tracker removed while on
EQUIPMENT:
electronic monitoring?
You must keep your tracker on at all times. If you
need your tracker adjusted or removed, for example,
Having a shower or a
day surgery in a hospital, contact your Probation
bath while wearing your
Officer.
tracker is OK.
Do I have to pay for the monitoring
equipment?
DO NOT:
There is no cost for the equipment, but while you
are on electronic monitoring you are responsible
• have the cordless charger attached to the tracker
for ensuring power is supplied to the unit and for
when bathing or showering (GPS only)
meeting all power costs.
• let the cordless charger or monitoring unit get
wet
What if the tracker or monitoring unit is
damaged?
• move or cover the monitoring unit
Any damage must be immediately reported to your
• open any of the equipment
Probation Officer. You must provide all information
You must tell
• unplug the monitoring unit
about how the unit got damaged. If the damage is
your Probation
intentional, you will be pursued through the courts
• paint or otherwise modify any of the equipment
Officer as soon
for reparation.
as possible if you
• expose the equipment to extreme heat or cold
have problems with • damage or tamper with the equipment in any
your electricity
way
supply, phone line,
• leave the address while the cordless charger is
monitoring unit
attached to your tracker (GPS only).
or tracker.
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ELECTRONICALLY MONITORED SENTENCES AND ORDERS
Information from your Probation Officer | 15
What happens if there is a power cut?
NOTES
You must inform your Probation Officer as soon as
you know your power supply has been cut off or
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disrupted.
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The unit has a back-up battery. Your Probation
Officer will know if your battery is running low or the
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monitoring unit has been unplugged from the wall.
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You will continue to be monitored even when the
battery is low or the power supply has been stopped
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to the monitoring unit.
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Can I change my residence while on electronic
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monitoring?
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You must live at the residence specified on your
court order or release licence. If your circumstances
...................................................................................................................................
change or you want to move to another residence
you need to talk to your Probation Officer.
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What happens when my electronic monitoring
ends?
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Your Probation Officer will arrange for a Field Officer
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to take off your tracker and remove the unit from
your residence. Your Probation Officer will also write
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a completion report or order which may be used if
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you appear in court in the future.
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ELECTRONICALLY MONITORED SENTENCES AND ORDERS
Information from your Probation Officer | 17
NOTES
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ELECTRONICALLY MONITORED SENTENCES AND ORDERS
ABOUT YOUR SENTENCE/ORDER
Important information for offenders about electronic monitoring
JAN 2015
