Program Profile: Global Positioning System for High-Risk Gang Offenders (California)

This program monitors and tracks the movement of those on parole categorized as high risk for gang involvement or activity. The program is rated Promising. They are monitored by the GPS program had statistically significantly less arrests for new offenses and violent offenses, compared with control group people on parole. However, treatment group participants had higher odds of technical violations.

A Promising rating implies that implementing the program may result in the intended outcome(s).

Program Goals

The goals of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's (CDCR's) global positioning system (GPS) monitoring program are to monitor and track the movement of those on parole. The CDCR's High-Risk Gang Offender (HRGO) GPS monitoring program is specifically for those who have been categorized as high risk for gang involvement or activity.

Target Population

Those on parole are categorized as high risk for gang involvement or activity by the CDCR's GPS Monitoring Gang Eligibility Assessment Criteria before receiving their parole supervision assignment. Persons on parole are categorized as high risk if they meet at least one of the mandatory criteria of the assessment. These criteria include being validated as a prison gang member or associate, being assigned a special condition of parole to not associate with any prison or street gang member, and previous involvement in gang activity. If a person meets any of the eligibility criteria, the parole agent of record and the parole unit supervisor hold a conference to determine whether the GPS monitoring program is appropriate based on additional criteria such as prior offenses and current compliance with parole conditions.

Program Components

The two main components of the HRGO GPS monitoring program are GPS monitoring and intensive supervision. 

GPS Monitoring. The GPS monitoring portion of the HRGO program uses cellular and GPS technology to track them in real time. The unit takes a data point every minute and transmits location data every 10 minutes to the monitoring center. The monitoring center then provides the parole agent with location information in two formats. The first format is a daily summary report, which details all activity recorded by the GPS unit such as device charging activity, zone violations, strap tampers, and other violations. Parole agents are also able to review the movement patterns, or "tracks," of the person on a Web mapping application. This information allows parole agents to investigate any unusual or suspicious movements. The second format is the immediate alert (IA) notifications, which are automatically generated text messages sent to the parole agent of record for specific types of high-priority violations. If a parole agent needs to get in contact with a person the agent can signal the GPS device worn on the person to beep or vibrate, signaling the person the need to contact his parole agent.

There are multiple features of the GPS monitoring service that assist the parole agent in monitoring the individual. Inclusion zones are specific geographic locations that the person is required to be in during certain times of the day. Moving out of an inclusion zone would trigger an IA notification. Exclusion zones are geographic locations that a person is prohibited from entering. Entering an exclusion zone would also trigger an IA notification.

The typical GPS ankle unit for the HRGO program is a single-piece unit secured to the person's left ankle with a tamper-resistant, fiber-optic technology strap. The unit weighs about six ounces and is about the size of a computer mouse. Battery life is about 48 hours per charge. Charging takes about 1 hour. All GPS parole agents are equipped with laptops and wireless Internet cards to allow access to the Web-based services from the field. 

Intensive Supervision. The intensive supervision portion of the HRGO program includes frequent contact between the parole agents and those on parole. Soon after release from prison, parole agents must meet face-to-face with the person and conduct an initial interview. During this first meeting, parole agents are required to inform the person on parole of the GPS monitoring as a special condition of parole, and to explain that participation is mandatory and refusal will result in return to prison. As part of the intensive supervision, parole agents must meet at the their residence soon after release, conduct a minimum number of face-to-face contacts monthly, conduct a minimum number of collateral contacts monthly (i.e., acquaintances and family members, conduct a minimum number of random drug tests monthly, meet with law enforcement to update parole information a minimum number of times each year, and conduct a case review a minimum number of times each year.

Study 1

Gies and colleagues (2013) assessed the cost and effectiveness of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) global positioning system (GPS) monitoring program for High-Risk Gang Offenders (HRGOs). Researchers conducted the assessment using a nonequivalent group quasi-experimental design with a multilevel survival model and propensity score matching to account for differences in treatment and comparison groups.

The study participants were 784 high-risk gang offenders placed on parole in California from March 2006 through October 2009. A propensity score procedure was performed using a sample of parolees drawn from each of the same six communities that maintained specialized gang units but who were not placed on GPS at the time of data collection. The matching procedure resulted in a final sample of 784 subjects (392 treatment and 392 control subjects). The treatment group consisted of parolees who were placed on parole supervision with GPS monitoring in any one of six specialized gang units located throughout California (Fresno County, the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, Sacramento County, or San Bernardino County).

Treatment group subjects were parolees—identified as HRGOs by the CDCR, using the GPS Monitoring Gang Eligibility Assessment Criteria Form—who were placed on GPS monitoring during the data collection period. Control group subjects were parolees monitored by the same specialized gang units but were not placed on GPS at the time of data collection. Both groups were subject to traditional parole supervision procedures.

The sample was primarily male (99 percent), Hispanic (58 percent of the control group and 59 percent of the treatment group), and just under 30 years old (mean age of 29.03 for the control group and 28.70 for the treatment group). On average, study participants had been arrested at least 11 times (11.88 for the control group and 11.43 for the treatment group) and had been in prison more than once (62 percent total sample) before the study period.

Data was collected from various sources, including the CDCR data management system, official arrest records, parole supervision records, GPS monitoring data (from two vendors: Satellite Tracking of People [STOP] and Pro Tech), a CDCR parole agent survey, and CDCR cost information. Effectiveness was assessed using an intent-to-treat approach and measured noncompliance (technical violation of parole) and recidivism (arrest for a new crime).

To participate in the GPS monitoring program, parole agents must be trained by the electronic monitoring unit staff and must complete a specialized GPS training before supervising GPS parolees. For more information on implementation, see the 2013 Gies and colleagues report (https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/244164.pdf).

These sources were used in the development of the program profile:

Following are CrimeSolutions-rated programs that are related to this practice:

Interventions with Violent Adult Males Convicted of an Offense

This practice comprises interventions with violent adult males that aim to reduce their likelihood of reoffending, especially violent reoffending. Program components include anger control, cognitive skills and empathy training, and relapse prevention. The practice is rated Promising for reducing general reoffending and violent reoffending.

Evidence Ratings for Outcomes

	Crime & Delinquency - Multiple crime/offense types
	Crime & Delinquency - Violent offenses

Why might a practice's outcome ratings differ from the ratings of specific programs encompassed by that practice?