Lack of Funding Keeping GPS Devices From Being Used

On August 4, 2008, we posted a blog in which we announced that then Governor Rod Blagojevich had signed into law the Cindy Bischof Law. This law allows for judges to require that multiple offenders of Orders of Protection be equipped with GPS ankle bracelets to monitor their movement and track whether they are staying away from protected persons. Eight months later we can report that this law has yet to be fully implemented. The same State Legislature that thought of enacting this law failed to provide any funding to implement it. This unfunded mandate has left local counties grasping to come up with the money to provide the equipment and personnel to monitor offenders. The only counties that have implemented this program are DuPage, Kane and Champaign Counties. Most other counties simply cannot afford to buy the equipment. The devices cost between $8 and $12 a day to operate. Champaign county, which uses a private company to provide the service, which costs $10 a day, passes the cost to offenders. Same thing in Kane County, The County Board approved $100,000 to start the program but will require that offenders pay the daily cost. The Cook County Board has approved $1.4 million to fund the project but needs to approve the final details. If all goes according to plan, Cook County may have this system in effect by July, almost a year after the law went into effect.

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