Despite the increasing number of sex offenders who are being placed on electronic monitoring programs over the past five years in Korea, little is known about how these programs are implemented in practice and how effective these programs are in reducing recidivism. This study involves a comprehensive examination on the electronic monitoring (EM) of sex offenders in Korea, focusing on both process uation on the current administration of programs and policies of the EM and outcome uation on the effectiveness of the EM programs. The purpose of this uation is to develop a method hereafter for improving the EM programs of sex offenders in Korea based on an empirical study on the EM programs using triangulation as the methodology that is employed in both quantitative and qualitative studies.
This study integrates process uation, outcome, and cost components. Specific aims of process uation include: (1) to examine the situations and characteristics of sex offenders on EM programs drawn from reports of high-risk sex offender screening during 2011; (2) to examine the human and material resources of current organizations and equipment for effective implementation of EM programs; and (3) to assess whole executive process of EM programs, including screening, enrollment, orientation, and monitoring as well as supervising of EM of probationers by analyzing the officer survey data and interview data with officers, administrators, prosecutors, and judges. The outcome component assesses the effectiveness of the GPS supervision programs in Korea by analyzing survey data with sex offenders who are placed on EM or on traditional probation, and secondary data, including official crime statistics relevant to recidivism. In addition, specific assessment on the impact and effectiveness embraces both intended and unintended consequences of regulations on sex offenders themselves as well as their family members.
The findings demonstrate that: (1) False s caused by missing the satellite signal lower the level of trust of officers have in EM, which contradicts the high reliability of probationers on the EM programs; (2) Officers and offenders believe that the EM would reduce undesirable behavior and induce them to participate in the therapeutic programs; (3) EM and GPS supervision program is not adequately staffed, placing officers under undue strain; (4) Officers reported that EM might not be the most appropriate level of monitoring for all sex offenders; (5) Officers indicate a desire for more GPS-related training to integrate the GPS information into case supervision; (6) EM could be effective in reducing recidivism, but EM of longer duration does have negative consequences on offenders' adjustment in the community; (7) The offenders who have been applied EM retroactively strongly resist EM and intensive supervision despite the Constitutional Court Decision that EM is not a punishment, but a measure taken for the preservation of public security; (8) Less statistically significant differences between EM and intensive supervision have been found in recidivism rates since 2008; and (9) EM operations may be facilitated from judges' better understanding of both EM and characteristics of sex offenders, the most appropriate subjects for EM, as well as officers' supervision and supports with EM programs.
The cost analysis includes to estimate the benefits, effectiveness, and costs of using EM programs to reduce recidivism. The available evidence suggests that EM could be an effective deterrent to crime.
However, the cost-effectiveness analysis indicates the cost of reducing one criminal per year is estimated to be 50 million KRW while the cost of providing traditional police service for one crime is 4.5 million KRW. In other words, the EM programs are more expensive, but more effective.
The study concludes with a discussion on the effects of EM considering the balance between the right of sex offenders and the demand for reduction of recidivism. Policy implications are also discussed with focus on the resources for the effective operation of EM.