House arrest is a legal punishment for minor offenses or where maintaining prisoners is too expensive. Offenders wear an ankle monitor that transmits a GPS signal to alert authorities if they leave their permitted range. Some detainees are allowed breaks for certain activities. Former presidents and celebrities have been confined to house arrest, but it is criticized for being an easy way out of punishment.
House arrest, also known as electronic monitoring or home detention, is the legal term used to define a punishment imposed by law on a person who has committed a crime and is sentenced to remain inside his or her home. House arrest is an alternative to prison, often used for minor crimes or for teenagers who cannot be taken to an adult correctional facility. House arrest is also an option in places where the cost of maintaining a prisoner has risen to the point that the government can no longer support more inmates. In any case, only minor offenses can be punished with house arrest, as major offenses always require prison time.
People under house arrest wear an ankle monitor, a special electronic device that transmits a GPS signal to a base receiver. This phone is linked to police headquarters and automatically alerts the authorities if the wearer moves outside its permitted range. House arrest may or may not include courtyards or gardens, depending on the arrangements made by the authorities. House arrest may also allow for “breaks,” in which detainees can attend certain activities or places, such as regular visits to the doctor or to a local grocery store. In these cases, the ankle monitor is temporarily disconnected or reprogrammed to allow the wearer to move a certain distance without breaking the rules.
Many former presidents have been confined to house arrest for crimes against their countries, including Ahmed Ben Bella (Algeria), Rafael Videla (Argentina), Pol Pot (Cambodia), Shehu Shagari (Nigeria) and Habib Bourguiba (Tunisia). In the United States, house arrest is sometimes imposed after people are released from prison. Martha Stewart spent five months under house arrest after spending a year in prison.
House arrest is sometimes criticized as appearing to offer an easy way out of punishment. People under house arrest have access to all the comforts of home life, including the use of household appliances, the telephone and the Internet. It also allows them to continue a rather normal life. Critics argue that most people under house arrest will quickly forget that they are being punished, which in turn will negate the program’s benefits.
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