Tennessee intends to launch early in 2005 a pilot project that would fit violent sex offenders with bracelets that will be tracked by a GPS system.

The system would let law enforcement build maps with “zones of exclusion” for the parolees, such as playgrounds, schools, day-care centers or the homes of victims. Probation officers would then check whether the criminals are going to work during the day, going home at night and staying away from restricted areas.

Removing or tampering with a bracelet carries a mandatory jail sentence of 180 days. Second and subsequent offenses could result in immediate revocation of probation or parole.

The system is Internet-based, so any law enforcement agent can use it. It also does not require constant monitoring, with e-mails alerting officers if an offender enters an exclusion zone.

The probation board will collect data on the program for a year before reporting to Gov. Phil Bredesen and the Legislature. If the program is taken statewide, it could include other types of offenders such as those convicted of domestic violence or behind in child support payments.

From Mercury.