29 Nov 2012

High fail rate in detention bracelets

9:31 am on 29 November 2012

Electronic home detention bracelets in New South Wales are failing at a high rate, leaving some criminals able to roam around unmonitored.

News Ltd reported that malfunctions have been detected in 174 devices. Of those, 18 were worn by sex offenders.

Attorney-General Greg Smith says electronic bracelets required regular maintenance. Malfunctions were caused by maintenance issues or offenders damaging the tags.

AAP reports more than 390 bracelets are being worn by people sentenced to home detention or on intensive correction orders.

There were 174 malfunctions of the devices in the first nine months of this year.

In May, a magistrate ordered that the bracelet worn by an accused murderer be removed after his lawyer successfully argued there had been problems with the technology.