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 What
is Home Detention?
Community service is a program for low risk offenders, with little to no previous criminal history. They are scheduled for one to two days of service to the city, and complete various activities such as weeding, washing cars, litter pick up, and park maintenance. Prior to completing service, they fill out an application for the program, and are put through background investigation similar to Home Detention. This is a good alternative to jail for first time offenders and those with more minimal charges. It saves the city money by keeping these offenders out of the jail system, saving the city booking and daily housing fees, and keeping the jails less crowded.
How
does it work?
The bracelet is strapped on the ankle with locking clips so
it cannot be removed. It “talks” to a receiver that is plugged into
the phone line. The receiver alerts the monitoring company
when the bracelet is out of range. The bracelet will also
signal the monitoring company if it is removed.
Periodically, the monitoring
company calls in to the receiver to make sure
the client is home.
Screening
and Selecting
Offenders are required to fill out a lengthy application
to be considered as a candidate for the program. Full background
checks are done and the client history is carefully screened.
Many are denied, but most are recommended by the court for
the program because of convictions of lesser crimes. All
clients have very strict conditions placed on them to stay in the
program. If they fail, they go back to court or back to in-custody
jail.
Why Home Detention?
- It keeps families together.
- Clients can keep their jobs.
- Clients can get treatment while serving their sentence.
- The client who committed the crime pays for the program, not tax dollars.
- The City does not pay for medical issues that arise while the client is on the EHM program.
What does it cost?
The City contract with the Electronic Home Monitoring company
costs the City $5.75 per client, per day. The client pays the
City $20.00 per day, resulting in a revenue for the City of
$14.25 per client, per day. At an average of 10 to 14 clients
per day, the City receives approximately $50,000 to $60,000 in
revenue per year.
What are the cost savings?
Placing an offender in a jail facility costs the City about $61.00 per day. With an average of 10 to 14 offenders in custody, the daily cost to the City would be around $610.00 to $854.00 per day. Annually, that amounts to between $220,000 and $312.000 per year. The money saved by using this jail alternative program fully funds the Custody Officer position, the rental of the EHM equipment, and EHM fees for indigent defendants, and still realizes a cost savings to the city of at least $150,000 a year.
If you have been referred to the court for the Electronic Home Monitoring Program, please download the application packet here by clicking on link below.
Community Service: If you have been sentenced to Community Service, you must contact the Custody Officer at MLT Anytime and select Community Service, or call the number below and leave a message. To qualify, you will need to complete and return the application packet.
Please
complete and return application to:
Mountlake
Terrace Police Department
5906 232nd Street SW
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
You will
be contacted regarding your qualification status. For more information you may make a Service Request on MLT Anytime by selecting Contact the Custody Officer or call and leave a voice mail message at
(425) 744-6264. Voice mail messages
are picked up Monday through Thursday.
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