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Chicago Is Tracking Kids Awaiting Trial With GPS Monitors That Can Call, Record Them Without Consent (theappeal.org)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Appeal: On March 29, court officials in Chicago strapped an ankle monitor onto Shawn, a 15-year-old awaiting trial on charges of armed robbery. They explained that the device would need to be charged for two hours a day and that it would track his movements using GPS technology. He was told he would have to be given permission to leave his house, even to go to school. But he found out that through his monitor, officers wouldn't just be able to track his location, as most electronic monitors do. They would also be able to speak -- and listen -- to him. Shawn, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, is one of hundreds of children in Chicago whose ankle monitors are now equipped with microphones and speakers. The stated purpose of these devices is to communicate with the children, but they are raising concerns among civil liberties watchers that they are actually a mechanism for surveilling the conversations of these kids and those around them -- and potentially for using the recordings in criminal cases.
In January, Cook County, home of Chicago, awarded a contract to the electronic monitoring company Track Group, which will lease 275 ankle monitors to keep tabs on children awaiting trial. The devices, known as ReliAlert XC3, have two-way communication capabilities that allow both electronic monitoring officers at the criminal court and employees at Track Group's monitoring center to call an individual wearing a monitor at any time. The wearer can press a button on the device to reach the monitoring center, but there is no way to decline an incoming call. Cook County officials said juvenile probation began using the new devices in February because of their extended battery life and more secure band. The devices were also selected because of their built-in communication, as some children on probation are difficult to reach by phone. But Pat Milhizer, the director of communications for the office of the chief judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, said the county would now review concerns about privacy. "I can't quite even start down the parade of horribles in terms of all the ways this could be a problem," said Sarah Staudt, senior policy analyst and staff attorney for Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice and a former juvenile defense attorney in Cook County. "The idea that an adult can turn on a listening device while a child is, say, in the bathroom or in their bedroom is not good."
In January, Cook County, home of Chicago, awarded a contract to the electronic monitoring company Track Group, which will lease 275 ankle monitors to keep tabs on children awaiting trial. The devices, known as ReliAlert XC3, have two-way communication capabilities that allow both electronic monitoring officers at the criminal court and employees at Track Group's monitoring center to call an individual wearing a monitor at any time. The wearer can press a button on the device to reach the monitoring center, but there is no way to decline an incoming call. Cook County officials said juvenile probation began using the new devices in February because of their extended battery life and more secure band. The devices were also selected because of their built-in communication, as some children on probation are difficult to reach by phone. But Pat Milhizer, the director of communications for the office of the chief judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, said the county would now review concerns about privacy. "I can't quite even start down the parade of horribles in terms of all the ways this could be a problem," said Sarah Staudt, senior policy analyst and staff attorney for Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice and a former juvenile defense attorney in Cook County. "The idea that an adult can turn on a listening device while a child is, say, in the bathroom or in their bedroom is not good."
All these Orwellian police state tactics instituted by (R) dominated cities....
Maw! Fire up the karma burner!
Wouldn't want to blow his cover with a name like "DeShawn."
--Ashley
Than I don't care.
In 2014, a technician for Track Group, which was then called SecureAlert, testified during a hearing in Puerto Rico that although the device is supposed to vibrate and make a noise when itâ(TM)s activated, the listening and speaking capabilities can be turned on without warning.
and now I care.
The kid is accused of armed robbery. The kid gets to stay out of jail while awaiting trial. I understand the "if you have nothing to hide then why worry" argument, but this isn't just some random person. Truly, if he has nothing to hide then no problem. But he's probably a gang banger who is going to brag about his crimes to his homies.
IMHO, the only time this kid gets to be un-monitored is when he's talking to his lawyer. Bragging to his homies? Gotcha.
Don't like it? Cool your jets in jail until your trial date comes up. You aren't some random dude minding his own business. You're probably an asshole who needs to be locked away for decades, and this is your last chance to prove the prosecutor wrong.
For some reason I'm not too concerned about "spying" on people awaiting trial. It beats waiting in jail for all concerned. They gave consent when they accepted this as a condition for release. As long as it isn't listening in on privileged conversations with lawyers I don't care.
it starts beeping at a steadily increasing rate until time is elapsed and if you're still not in the zone it delivers the fatal shock under the assumption you're trying to make a run for it.
Why not just put them into cages and be done with it? Jamal and Da'quarius are going to spend most of the rest of their short lives in cages. Get them used to it.
Are you some kind of Republican pussy that doesn't want to track accused criminals? Say, a Trump supporter? NO WONDER you don't want to catch criminals in the act, you're supporting one!
I think they are trying to inspire the moral outrage of a video recording device to that of an audio-listening device.
It is quite a problem and illegal in most states (I would say all, but I don't have the facts for that claim) to put a camera in a bathroom. But very few have laws against audio recordings in a bathroom... Why is that?
Video recordings in a children's bathroom would be pedophilia.
Audio recordings is probably just field research for a dumb & dumber type movie.
Damn straight
They wear the monitor and consent to it's use. Or they can stay at the Big House. Where's the lack of consent exactly?
So you're OK with guilty until proven innocent? You also think most people understand their "actual" rights? And a minor? If he had money and bailed out they would have to get a warrant just to listen to phone etc. But you have decided, based solely on the fact that he was charged, he's "probably an asshole who needs to be locked away for decades" so why bother with due process? And a minor? Mind boggling.
TLDR is RTFA
What's the alternative? Throwing his ass in prison until his court date? I like that option better, personally.
Republicans actually dream quite lucidly about being completely corrupt, to the point of the current nightmare that they are forced to support Vladimir Putin's pet. Of course, TREASON as they practice it is a far cry from regular graft.
Which you're also thoroughly guilty of, you silly-to-insane hypocritical punk asses lol! Oh, as if the Trump "swamp draining" was really the gold standard, as Herman Cain advocates for the US economy like a complete moron?
You pathetic idiots never fail to amuse the literate, I'll give you traitors that.
The Faraday Cage Sock
"The idea that an adult can turn on a listening device while a child is, say, in the bathroom or in their bedroom is not good."
Seriously, what is the big deal about listening to a kid poop? If a pedophile has some weird fetish for that, they can already go to any public restroom and site quietly in a stall listening to kids poop in the other stalls. Or if the kid is masturbating, well, same thing. If pedo fetishist really wants to volunteer to work for law enforcement in order to have the chance to listen to kids in bathrooms, so be it. Society has more important things to worry about, like keeping tabs on violent criminal teens before their trials.
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Nazi douches, plenty of whooshes...
EVERYONE that carries a smart phone already has these features enabled.
It's the world we live in.
Star_gif- the more you know
So instead of being in jail because of no bail, the can wear these.
Let's be clear about something, most of these are animals needing a leash.
Don't lie. Putin didn't force anybody to vote for Trump. You people do this shit to yourselves every time when you nominate and vote for such low class shit! Nobody needed any help from Putin. The democrats gave us Trump!
Besides that, anybody that reveals the truth is a hero to the country. The real interference was within the DNC. All your election interference is domestic in *orange* (origin, in case that went over your head). And it only works because stupid people believe propaganda. So save it, pal, and look in the mirror!
As minors( at least in my state)
They are not protected by the Constitution.
Period.
End of argument.
Maybe avoid armed robbery.
The "child" is accused of armed robbery. ARMED ROBBERY. He should be thankful that another gang member or the cops didn't shoot him while he was attempting to escape. I agree that wearing an ankle monitor is inappropriate; he ought to be in jail.
and you can bet your sweet ass that anything they pick up on that mic will be used against him.
Don't like it? Then off to the gulags with you comrade. You were probably a dissident who needs to be locked away for decades anyway, but this is your last chance to prove the commandant wrong.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
that's up to and including anything you say to your attorney, because attorney-client privilege is for white collar crimes, the whiter the better.
Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
A debt doesn't compel someone to show up for court dates - the threat of being arrested does. All bail does is give lazy and corrupt prosecutors a way to pressure poor people into pleading guilty to charges instead of contesting them in court.
"EVIL GOVERNMENT is spying on INNOCENT criminal toddlers!!! Why don't you protest/stop EVIL GOVERNMENT people??? Join us anti-government aka anarchists to help/protect innocent criminals from EVIL GOVERNMENT!!! PS: Always wear your thinfoil hat because EVIL GOVERNMENT is always trying to read/control your mind!!!"
"a 15-year-old awaiting trial on charges of armed robbery"
IMHO:
Why not keep him in prison instead?
Guessing it is because, all prisons are already overcrowded, thanx to not executing violent criminals, as they were supposed to, for real/true justice!!!
Needs to be charged for two hours a day? They cheaped out on equipment. Using non-local GPS computation* and Lithium batteries would power it orders of magnitude longer.
*A non-local GPS system like Skybitz GLS relays the dozen or so GPS signal data to servers in the cloud, thus saving battery usage.
Kriston
The kids who wind up in these shitty circumstances are not all bad kids. The cops are corrupt as hell and I've seen a lot of liars (ie cops) testify against innocent individuals in court. The police will plant evidence because someone looked at them wrong or manipulate circumstances to put innocent people away. There is zero chance I'd convict a guilty party if I were on a jury. The system is so bad that you can't trust any evidence that is presented in court. Those who thing otherwise are naive. I'm a media corespondent and have seen all sorts of abuse. I was even arrested once for crossing a street (legally might I add) and disorderly conduct (for doing my job-filming illegal police conduct). If I hadn't had multiple backup cameramen I would be sitting in jail. If not for the backup cameramen I would have no legal recourse and it wasn't the direct abuse (that I didn't do those things the cop claimed) but other violations of clearly established constitional protections that has put me in a situation to seek compensation. I've also seen other media corespondents forced back from filming other illegal police conduct, surrounded, gang style, and then only arrested after a complaint was filed against an officer. The officer claimed he was making a false complaint despite it all being on video. Prosecutor dropped the case, two officers were fired after an investigation got started because the cops had lied about where they were, even though no investigation occurred or punishment resulted from the abuse of the media corespondent. Basically two of the officers were raping women and we didn't know that until after the charges were dropped. There is also a lawsuit here as well. There have also been a few other lawsuits in regard to filming police. Ultimately when they can't arrest you for filming they just make something else up in order to violate your rights and intimidate you. Thousands of dollars if not more get thrown at lawyers as well as theft occurs via bail charges. Even if your innocent you don't get that $40 fee to the bail bondsmen back, nor your time, nor other expenses that are incurred when they kidnap you on the street many miles from your home and then transfer you to another cit- or steal your car for that matter possibly in the process.
What a dumb system when we could be euthanizing these genetic failures instead!
Seriously, if this is a huge civil nightmare, then throw these kids in jail. Issue solved.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
They have no rights. They should count themselves lucky we don't use them as food, fuel or construction materiel.
Where's your head exactly?
Option A: Get lojacked with a device that records everyone around you
Option B: Go to jail. Where you can be beaten, raped and tortured. And if you stay there long at all you'll lose your house/job/kids. Even if you are completely innocent.
There's no more "consent" here than a bank "consents" to part with some cash when someone slips a threatening note to a teller.
and re-enact the Austin Powers bathroom scene. Daily.
You already threw everyone else in jail first.
Morally, there's no difference.
Imprisoning minors... covert surveillance and open intimidation... state terrorism and the most extreme totlitarian surveillance and spying program in the world... manipulating other states like puppets... massive military apparatus ruling the country...
There's only one difference: The propaganda in the US is *much* more advanced. People there actually *believe* they are free, while all of the media is controlled, and while even their thinking seems to be in total control. (E.g. they cannot even imagine somebody not being for the "dems" or "reps" [two imaginary "sides" of the same oligarchic apparatus] not also being for the other one of those two. The concept of being for *neither*, or even just being in-between, seems impossible for them to even think.)
These court officials need to be prosecuted as the pedos they are!
... is the most fundamental of ALL human rights. The right to NOT associate with people that you don't want to - for whatever reason, or no reason at all. You don't have to give a reason.
If a woman doesn't want to stay in a seat on a bus when a man sits next to her whom she doesn't like the look of, because he makes her feel uncomfortable, whatever - she has the RIGHT to MOVE away from him. Nobody has the right to FORCE her to stay seated next to somebody she doesn't want to sit next to. An of course, it's always and only the people that OTHER PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE AROUND who have to FORCE themselves into other people's lives.
Like non-whites forcing their way into white people's countries. (How 'racist' of me to even question what's happening to white people! How 'evil' of me to complain about the fact that white people HAVE NOWHERE TO GO to get away from the endless flood of non-white parasites who want to live around 'whitey', to 'get a better life'...)
Like 'gays' forcing their way into normal people's toilets, schools, changing rooms, etc.
Doubtless these children are the absolute scum of the Earth, and should be dumped on a desert island somewhere, and left to fend for themselves. Or give them life in prison, hard labour, so the rest of us don't have to have our lives ruined by their shitty personalities.
Exactly what also flew my mind.
If these teens are not idiots (did they all get busted for stupid things like robery, or are there more-brain-than-brawl criminals in the lot), they would have some loud sex (they're horny teens after all) and try to counter sue for child-pornography.
Also, they are kids, they are probably more tech-savvy than most of the other people involved (well, save probably for the summary's burglar. Are there kids awaiting trial for hacking in this surveillance program ?), they will probably find ways to hack-around the system (put a speaker next to the mike, some padding to block out-side real-world noise and play something with an MP3 player)
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
Not sure I really care if people arrested for crimes are monitored if their lucky enough to be allowed to out awaiting trial. Most monitoring systems track you that's what their suppose to do. Sorry their not innocent kids they are deviants who committed crimes serious enough to warrant such monitoring. Don't want to be monitored, then don't commit a crime. Or spend your time in a jail if you think that doesn't infringe on your privacy.
You're wanking aren't you? You'll go blind.
Most people are strapped to them too.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
Apologies for the grammar error in the header.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
I'm sorry but in my mind a kid about to be convicted for armed robbery should NOT have any expectation of privacy. He should feel lucky to avoid prison because that's where he belongs. A kid that age shouldn't be involved in more than a bit of shoplifting, vandalism and similar, not armed robbery. If you do that you both have the wrong friends and a really bad moral spine.
"For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong." -- H.L. Mencken (1880-1956) --
In the bathroom or the bedroom? Dafuq is your mind at?
What about "this is a flagrant abuse of power and it oversteps the bounds of government"
It shouldn't need to rely on emotional arguments
All of these comments are petty arguments over politics and race, when the real issue here is that technology has been getting developed specifically for intrusive use by the government. Where do we draw the line? Obviously, the crime this kid did brings little sympathy... but what if surveillance technology becomes the norm for DUIs or minor drug offenses?
"The cause of fear is ignorance."
They can always sit in jail.
There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
Officer Fred: Let's listen in to what the ankle monitor has going on in Bubba's life.
Officer Tom: Yep
From the device: Da Dee Da Dee Da Dee Da Do
Officer Fred: :Nooooooooooooo, he's listening to dueling banjos againnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!"
"The idea that an adult can turn on a listening device while a child is, say, in the bathroom or in their bedroom is not good."
This could also be used to listen to privileged conversations. While they couldn't use them in court directly there would be no way to determine if the prosecution otherwise took advantage of that knowledge.
Then they would not complain about being "tracked". Thanks Mr. Officers. please track them more!!!!
It's one thing to require a GPS tracking bracelet on a person for pre-trial supervision or even as a term of probation for a limited term but to enable communication through that device... that is too far in the name of "justice".
I could easily see such technology being used without prior notice of the monitored to listen in on private communications, even privileged communications such as with a lawyer or counselor; this is of course not to mention the fact that such monitoring could be used to build a greater case against an individual based upon recordings. It's not unheard of for this here on Slashdot for company provided monitoring to be abused and misused, it's also not unheard of for such systems to be compromised by third-parties for malicious purposes such as covert surveillance or harassment so, is it a stretch to believe that such could likely happen with this particular practice?
Why is GPS/location monitoring not enough? What sound justification could be made for more than that for legal reasons? These are children, not spies, not enemies of the state and even if such features could lead to greater security for society, is that a society that you could reasonably say you'd prefer if it was your child or yourself?
What happens when the kid is speaking to his lawyer? They would certainly be violating his rights by listening in to that conversation.
You're the one making the ad-hominem attacks. ie: Crying.
These kids behaved like animals and subsequently have less rights than animals. I don't care if they get recorded masturbating. Kid is in trial for *armed Robbery* Fuck him, and his parents.
~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
We had an out of control teen addict. he ended up in jail for years for robbery etc. before 18 too. Some of the stuff sounds worse on paper than it is; that said, he totally needed jailing, his bio parents messed up so bad and considering mental health was against the parents religion so this kid needed to be put into the system just to get the mental health treatment he needed.
The #1 problem with this bracelet is the invasion of privacy risks for the INNOCENTS who must live with the minor.
PROBLEM: Ignorant Judgemental Americans (and their reps reflect that.)
LACK OF $ for prisons, especially for teens who need treatment and benefit from it most. This is why they put ours on a bracelet while waiting for trial, and why he got parole for a year on the thing instead of jail; only ending up in jail when he got worse later. NO MONEY. His poor mental health treatment was decided by health insurance and the judge disagreed but gave in because then the state would have to pay and he said they are at the mercy of insurance!! NO JAIL for a constant flight risk because unless he harmed others they wouldn't spend the $. He only showed up for court because they'd have hunted him down and locked him up... 2nd time; he just got caught and not let loose, at least they knew enough to not let him out at all.
Oh, and thanks to idiot laws and lack of $ limiting cops when he discovered he could ignore the GPS and not be punished in ANY WAY he would sneak around us every chance doing almost as much as before. It had little impact because he couldn't plan ahead (like most loser criminals) and it wasn't until the 2nd time (a major crime) that the past GPS history had consequences (and I'm so not sure he realized this.)
Now he's on legal drugs and doing much better; has a biological cause for mental health that no praying was going to help. long term childhood impact won't be so easily remedied... almost killing 2 people is the price we pay when the public won't pay for a proper system. Stuff can be prevented and it will cost less $ in the end not that $ should be the sole factor but like a teenager, Americans can't even plan ahead.
Normally I'd get twisted on the issue of surveillance. But not this time I think.
The teenager (15 is not a child, 15 is a teen) has been charged with a crime. This isn't random surveillance, the justice system has a specific reason to get involved. Yes they haven't been convicted, but lots of people cool their heels in jail awaiting trial. This tech allows the teen to return to their home and neighborhood, sleep in their own bed.
As for Sarah Staudt's concern, listening in to a bedroom or bathroom setting. What is anyone going to hear? Breathing? Fart noises? Rustling and shifting? The sound of a toilet flushing?
The teen has a bracelet on. They (presumably) know they are being monitored. It may not be fun for the teen, but being charged isn't supposed to be fun or cool. There is a plausible reason for the state to ask for this level of monitoring. More than that, if criminal gangs or conspiracy is suspected, maybe the police want some insight into that.
Assuming most of the commentators here are in the US of A, the number of people not just willing but enthusiastically willing to give up on what remains of our constitutional rights is sad.
Ahem, children that committed armed robbery. Yeah. That is such a scandal to track these. That children commits armed robbery is probably fine, I guess, that must be a phase. Who did not commit a few armed robbery when he was young, eh?!
Oh yeah, let's talk about intrusive technology used by the Governement. I mean, a gun to your face to make you empty your pockets is surely unintrusive technology, it must makes you feel so empowered.
If that worked prisons could not have any surveillance either.
I would presume that by default some small private part in a normal prison (e.g.: toilet booth) aren't on continuously cam (and an escort would be required if strong suspiction requires to monitor those moments).
From what I've heard, here around in Europe, when inmates are having conjugal visits their activities aren't on cam either for the same obvious reasons.
(Where's BankRoberMBA when you need him to share his experience as an inmate ?)
I would strongly presume that nothing forbids the teenage person to engage in sex.
And given they WTF-ness levels of laws on your side of the Antlantic Pond, where even teens consensually sexting each other could be charged for child pornography, I would suspect that suing for child pornography isn't as far fetched as it sounds.
A suspect for armed robbery disabled his monitor and is on the run?
First, as I've mentionned, if the guy is stupid enough to *actually* get into something like armed robbery, he's probably not smart enough to successfully mess with the monitor.
Second, someone smarter would probably not try to disable it (that would immediately attract attention), but instead try to artificially report the noises they want to the monitor (random background noises) to mask their activity to get some privacy.
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
By "children" they often mean 17 year olds. By "criminals" they mean multiple time felons. These people are victimizing innocents so they lose their privacy instead of being locked in a cage where they should be?
That ain't English Ivan.