Counties of every size use electronic monitoring to reduce jail overcrowding by moving carefully selected people, most of them awaiting trial, out of a jail bed and into supervised release. Large jails turn to it when the population runs past capacity or the budget runs short. Smaller counties use it because they have fewer beds and less room to absorb a spike.
Either way, the county usually does not have to buy equipment or hire a monitoring staff. In most county programs, a monitoring provider supplies the devices, the installation, and the round-the-clock monitoring, and the court decides who qualifies.
That last part matters. Monitoring does not release anyone. Judges do.
Why Are Counties Turning to Electronic Monitoring?
Crowding looks different depending on the size of the jail, but the pressure shows up everywhere.
In larger counties, the problem is usually volume. A big jail can run at or over capacity for long stretches, and every additional person adds to the cost of staffing, medical care, and meals. Crowded housing units are harder to manage, and the strain lands on detention officers who are already working long shifts. When budgets tighten, building more beds is rarely a quick or affordable answer. A new facility can take years to plan and fund.
In smaller counties, the problem is margin. A jail with a few dozen beds cannot absorb a bad week, and when it fills up, the fallback is usually paying a neighboring county to house people or paying staff overtime. Neither is cheap.
In both cases, it helps to look at who is actually in the building. According to the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 70% of the people held in local jails at midyear 2023 had not been convicted. Local jails also recorded 7.6 million admissions in the twelve months before that count.
So the pressure on a jail of any size is often a pretrial question. Who has to stay, and who could be supervised another way while the case moves forward?
How Does Electronic Monitoring Reduce Jail Overcrowding?
It gives a judge a middle option between release with no supervision and continued detention.
For a person the court considers appropriate, the judge can set conditions that are monitored instead of a jail stay: GPS tracking with zones and a curfew, alcohol monitoring, or smartphone check-ins through the Reconnect app. The person goes home under supervision. The bed opens up.
There is a second effect that never shows up on a jail roster. A person on monitoring can usually keep working and keep caring for family while the case is pending.
One county official might call that a public safety tool. Another might call it a budget tool. It is both.
Who Pays for a County Monitoring Program?
There are three common models, and many counties use more than one.
The court pays. The court runs a program and covers the cost of the devices it uses.
The fee is built into a program. Participants in something like an accountability court pay program fees, and the program pays the monitoring provider.
The participant pays. The person being monitored pays a daily fee directly to the provider.
Each model has trade-offs. County-funded programs reach people who could not afford monitoring on their own. Participant-paid programs cost the county little, but they raise fairness questions for people with limited means. Those are policy choices, and they belong to local leaders.
What Does a County Need to Get Started?
Less than most people expect.
- Judges who are willing to use monitoring as a condition of release.
- Eligibility guidelines the court, sheriff, prosecutors, and defense bar all understand.
- A point of contact to receive alerts and reports.
- A provider that handles devices, installation, 24/7 monitoring, and reporting.
What it does not need is a server room or a new division of deputies watching screens. That is why larger counties can use it to expand release options without building new beds, and why the model also works for smaller counties with limited staff.
What Should a County Ask a Monitoring Provider?
The provider’s answers to a few questions tell you most of what you need to know:
- Who installs the device, and how quickly after the order?
- Who is watching alerts at 3 a.m. on a holiday?
- What reports will the court and sheriff receive, and how often?
- Which devices do you use, and what is each one for?
- What happens when a device malfunctions or loses signal?
- Who has access to the data, and how long is it kept?
Vague answers are a warning sign.
Where Does Monitoring Fall Short?
It is not a cure for crowding.
Monitoring will not clear a case backlog. It is not right for every defendant. And a monitor reports what a person does. It does not physically prevent it. It works best as one part of a larger plan.
Rural counties have one more thing to check: cell coverage. GPS devices report over cellular networks, so coverage across the county is worth a conversation early.
How A 2nd Chance Monitoring Works With Counties
A 2nd Chance Monitoring provides GPS tracking, alcohol monitoring, and communication services across Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, including monitoring programs for sheriffs and accountability courts. Our sister company, A 2nd Chance Bail Bonds, handles the bail side of pretrial release, so we see the system from both directions.
If your county is weighing a program, reach out to our team and we will talk through what it would take.
Using electronic monitoring to reduce jail overcrowding works in a metro county with a crowded jail and in a rural county with a few dozen beds. What matters is that the court, the sheriff, and the provider agree on who it is for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does electronic monitoring reduce jail overcrowding?
Who decides who is released on electronic monitoring?
Does a county have to buy monitoring equipment?
Who pays for electronic monitoring in a county program?
Can both large and small counties run an electronic monitoring program?
About A 2nd Chance Monitoring
We believe everyone deserves a second chance. A 2nd Chance Monitoring provides alcohol monitoring, GPS tracking, and communication services to help individuals stay accountable while they navigate legal requirements or work toward personal goals. With multiple locations across Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, our team offers professional support and reliable technology you can count on 24/7. Whether you’re fulfilling a court order or simply looking for structure during a difficult time, we’re here to help. Get in touch with us today.
The information in this article is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Pretrial release decisions, program funding, and monitoring requirements vary significantly by state, county, court, and individual case. If you have specific legal questions about your situation, please consult a licensed attorney in Georgia. A 2nd Chance Monitoring provides electronic monitoring services and does not provide legal representation or legal advice.
