This story from Engadget,
crime spree ends thanks to GPS ankle bracelet, explains how an Ohio man carried out 6 robberies wearing a GPS ankle bracelet. What I'm curious about is how he managed to carry on that long before he was caught ... seems like there's some potential for a rather simple geospatial application there!
Incarceration is certainly big business here in US. But with the jails full, the next growth area will be monitoring parolee's locations. Do I smell a business plan?
ReplyDeleteKirk, you've been beaten to it. Probation and parole are a huge money-making industry, including monitors. Contractors make a ton of taxpayer money off of shit like private probation and ankle monitors for even those who are no threat.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, you don't want part of that blood money, those who make money off of others' civil liberties will get theirs in the end or in the next life.
Yeah, it's a strange business. As soon as we've had a generation of location-monitored kids come of age I think it will become a reality. Few will protest.
ReplyDeleteSomeone will soon realize off-shoring the task of watching the video monitors will reduce costs. This should allow China to export a key skill - monitoring people. Prison hurts consumption, so instead of locking people up the gov't can attach GPS leg bracelets. That way offenders can continue to shop WalMart while monitored closely by Chinese as they buy imported Chinese goods.