Alarm sounds for monitors

Network switch requires new model

The ankle monitors on hundreds of parolees, paedophiles and young offenders will have to be switched out for a newer model, with Queensland authorities in a race against time before Telstra turns off a longrunning and outdated network.

There are about 300 ankle monitor wearers across the state, from parolees, high risk sex offender living under supervision orders in the community, and young people according to Queensland Corrective Services figures.

But these monitors rely on the outdated 3G network, which is due to go dark in June 2024.

And documents revealed the QCS is on the hunt for a technology provider to buy a whole new “fit for purpose” kit.

A spokeswoman for the department confirmed the transition will happen in late 2023.

This leaves QCS with about six months to swap out 300 ankle monitors spread across the state.

Telstra announced the impending closure of the 3G network in October 2019 and has regularly put out notifications alerting businesses to the need to properly plan for the upgrade to different technology due to factors including a global shortage of microchips.

A Telstra calculator estimates migrating 300 services in time would mean moving six a week as of early April.

A spokeswoman for QCS said the closure date “had been factored into the procurement timeline for the new devices” though no plans on how the swap would be done in a staged way were divulged.

There is also no indication GPS trackers better suited to children are being looked at, despite an expansion of an existing ankle monitoring trial for young offenders and an initial review showing the device’s poor fit on children was causing false alerts.

“QCS is procuring 4G compatible electronic monitoring devices in line with the government’s procurement policy ahead of the closure of the 3G network next year,” she said.

In February the state government announced an expansion of the use of GPS trackers on young offenders, despite the review of a $3.8m 16-month trial being ultimately unable to establish if the measure worked.

Between May 2021 and September 2022, just eight young people were fitted with ankle monitors.

While there were some benefits found, the report concluded there was no way to confirm the effectiveness of putting a GPS tracker on a child for reducing youth crime.

The report noted only children with a stable address, access to a mobile phone and electricity, and parents willing to make sure they comply can be eligible among other criteria.