Tennessee lawmaker calls for real-time GPS tracking for violent repeat offenders on bail

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — As part of Operation Crime and Justice, Tennessee state lawmakers plan to introduce a bill in the next legislative session that will address the issue of repeat offenders.

The bill would require real-time Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking of violent offenders and repeat offenders released on bail.

As you can imagine, public safety is a top priority for society. People want this issue addressed, but the problem is that everyone has a different opinion on how we should address it.

We've seen it time and time again. Repeat offenders and violent criminals are accused of committing crimes while out on bail. State Rep. GA Hardaway says the offenders have already proven they can't be trusted to do the right thing.

The plan proposed by Tennessee state lawmakers targets defendants with a violent past. It would build on a bill Hardaway helped introduce earlier this year that requires some domestic violence offenders to wear a GPS monitor while out on bail, which would also alert victims if something goes wrong.

“If we can’t hold it physically in our hands, we should be able to hold it digitally and put our hands on it when we need to,” Hardaway says.

Before Hardaway brings this proposal to the state level in the next session, he will begin with a pilot program in Memphis, Shelby County.

He says that almost half of those arrested today are repeat offenders.

“The electronic monitors are not foolproof, and we have seen this happen,” says Verna Wyatt of TN Voices for Victims.

Wyatt says experience shows that ankle bracelets do not deter violent offenders from committing further crimes. We have expressed these concerns to Hardaway.

FOX 17 News asked, “In Nashville earlier this year, we saw a repeat offender remove his ankle bracelet and kill well-known rapper Chris King. How will your program address these issues?”

Hardaway responded, “It's real-time monitoring, not data or a chart that we look at the next day or hours later. It's actively monitored 24 hours a day.”

Wyatt says she likes the idea of ​​an extra layer of protection, but adds that if the person has a long history of violent crime, they shouldn't end up on the streets in the name of public safety.

“I see real-time monitoring, but how long will it take you to get to the person’s last known location?” she asks.

Wyatt has worked with incarcerated men and women for the past 20 years. She says trauma is common among offenders.

She is convinced that prisoners need therapy and rehabilitation to break this vicious circle.

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