By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
A 50-percent increase in compliance with release conditions and a 90-percent cost reduction to traditional solutions. That's what eHawk boasts about its RePath app used to electronically monitor criminal offenders. Blakelee Cooper, community case manager for the 20th Judicial District's Juvenile Services, said her organization was one of about a half-dozen agencies selected by the Kansas Department of Corrections to pilot the program.
"Basically, it's a digital platform on our clients' phones they download, just like any other app, and it's used for probation, parole, pretrial, or release," she said.
Instead of incarceration or an ankle monitor, clients are assigned to use the app. The intensity of the app is based on the client's risk-assessment score. Low-risk clients will have only chat options and appointment reminders. Medium-risk clients will have random check-ins and limited location monitoring. High-risk offenders will have check-ins and constant location monitoring. The check-in feature not only pings the client's location but also requires a time-sensitive selfie.
"They don't see what the picture is," said Juvenile Services Assistant Director Ryan Lichter. "They look at the screen and it takes the picture, but they never see what it is. It uses Google facial recognition to give us an accuracy rating so if they have part of their face covered up, it's going to reject that and make them take another picture."
The multi-use app allows two-way communication between staff and clients, has appointment reminders, progress updates, and other features.
"We can also utilize cognitive treatment through the RePath app where they can log in and get some thinking courses done while they're on the app," Lichter said.
Staff can also create specific zones for each client. The app will track when the client enters and leaves the zones, which is beneficial for tracking treatment and appointment attendance or curfew violations. The app can also warn the client when he or she has entered a prohibited area, such as the neighborhood of a victim.
The app is a cheaper, more efficient way for corrections agencies to monitor offenders, even generating court reports, but it also benefits the client. Ankle monitors have a daily fee while the RePath app is currently free to use.
"I have some kids who check in twice a week, but if they're being compliant inside this app, I'm not going to make them check in with me twice a week if I can see they're doing what they're supposed to," Cooper said.
To use the app, clients must agree to keep their phones charged at all times, which is another way to encourage responsibility. The app can track location even if the client loses service. Once service is returned, staff can retrieve still retrieve that GPS information.