Report: CT GPS system works, despite problems

Connecticut's system for tracking criminal offenders with global positioning satellite technology can be very accurate and is comparable with similar systems used nationwide, despite some problems, a report released today concludes.

The state Judicial Branch studied its use of GPS after electronic monitoring erroneously indicated in September that a convicted serial rapist on probation had left his sister's property in Southbury without permission.

David Pollitt was charged with a probation violation, but the case was dropped after officials determined the monitoring device wasn't working properly.

The review, conducted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center in Colorado, says environmental factors, including rolling hills and heavy foliage, played a part in interrupting Pollitt's GPS signal. It also determined that Pollitt was wearing the tracking device in his front pants pocket and not on a belt clip assigned to him.

"The proper orientation of the device's antennas is important to assure accurate tracking," the report says. "By not using the assigned belt clip, and placing the device in his pants pocket, it is believed the offender reduced the accuracy of the tracking device."

The report also recommends that only qualified technical staff members should try to interpret complex tracking data, and that offenders should be required to wear equipment as recommended by the manufacturer.

Thomas Siconolfi, executive director of administrative services for the Judicial Branch, recommends in his portion of the report that the state continue to use GPS technology as "an effective supplement" to probation supervision until the technology improves.

"Despite its limitations and shortcomings, GPS technology remains a very valuable adjunct to probation supervision," he wrote. "GPS provides a means to verify an offender's present location and movements to a degree that was not possible just a few years ago."

He said it also provides probation officers with information they can use to better supervise offenders and identify patters of behavior that might give clues to future criminal activity.

But he said the Judicial Branch needs to emphasize the limitations of GPS to policy-makers and the public.

"Television and movie depictions of GPS provide an unrealistic portrayal of live tracking with a level of precision that is not remotely representative of real world GPS and offender tracking," he wrote. (AP)