Florida to Mandate GPS Devices for Sex Offenders

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida state legislators recently proposed a measure that would require the state’s future probationary sex offenders to wear global positioning devices.

The Florida House Criminal Justice Committee unanimously approved the measure, which is expected to pass easily in the House and Senate. The bill specifically calls for active GPS systems that incorporate cell phone technology to provide real-time information.

Florida has about 29,000 sex offenders, 5,000 of whom are considered predators. Using three types of electronic monitoring, the state DOC now monitors a total of 707 people, 264 of whom are released sex offenders.

The measure is expected to easily pass the House and Senate and would apply to those convicted after measure becomes law. An estimated 1,700 future sex offenders would have to wear GPS devices at a cost of $13.3 million annually, according to Florida DOC projections.

A few legislators voiced concern over the cost, arguing the measure should be amended to require the less expensive passive GPS system. Passive systems download information on an offender's whereabouts once per day, rather than in real time.