Oklahoma lawmakers are considering investing in a new platform that aids in parole and probation check-ins through monitoring with artificial intelligence and fingerprint and facial scans.
The state could be the first in the nation to use the Montana-based company Global Accountability’s technology for parole and probation monitoring, said CEO Jim Kinsey.
Global Accountability is also pitching its Absolute ID platform to states to prevent fraud with food stamp benefits and track case workers and caregivers in the foster care system.
A pilot program for 300 parolees and 25 to 40 officers would cost Oklahoma around $2 million for one year, though the exact amount would depend on the number of programs the state wants to use the platform for, Kinsey said.
The Oklahoma Department of Corrections already uses an offender monitoring platform with the capability for check-ins using facial recognition, a spokesperson for the agency said in an email. Supervising officers can allow certain low-level offenders with smartphones to check in monthly through a mobile app instead of an office visit.
The state agency is “always interested in having conversations with companies that might be able to provide services that can create efficiencies in our practices,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
States like Illinois, Virginia and Idaho have adopted similar technology, though Global Accountability executives say their platform is unique because of its combination of biometrics, location identification and a feature creating virtual boundaries that send an alert to an officer when crossed.
The Absolute ID platform has the capacity to collect a range of data, including location and movement, but states would be able to set rules on what data actually gets captured, Kinsey said.
During an interim study at the Oklahoma House of Representatives in August, company representatives said their technology could monitor people on parole and probation through smartphones and smartwatches. Users would have to scan their face or fingerprint to access the platform for scheduled check-ins. The company could implement workarounds for certain offenders who can’t have access to a smartphone.
There are 428 people across the state using ankle monitors, an Oklahoma Department of Corrections spokesperson said. The agency uses the monitors for aggravated drug traffickers, sex offenders and prisoners participating in a GPS-monitored reentry program.
“That is a working technology,” said David Crist, lead compliance officer for Global Accountability. “It’s great in that it does what it should do, but it’s not keeping up with the needs.”
The Absolute ID platform uses artificial intelligence to find patterns in data, like changes in the places a prisoner visits or how often they charge their device, Crist said. It can also flag individuals for review by an officer based on behaviors like missing check-ins, visiting unauthorized areas or allowing their device to die.
Agencies would create policies that determine potential consequences, which could involve a call or visit from an officer, Crist said. He also said no action would be taken without a final decision from a supervising officer.
“Ultimately, what we’re trying to do is reduce some of the workload of officers because they can’t be doing this 24/7,” Crist said. “But some of our automation can. And it’s not necessarily taking any action, but it is providing assistance.”
Parolees and probationers can also text message and call their supervising officers through the platform.
The state could provide smartphones or watches to people on parole or probation or require them to pay for the devices themselves, said Crist. He also said the state could make prisoners’ failure to carry their phone with them or pay their phone bill a violation of parole.
Rep. Ross Ford, R-Broken Arrow, who organized the study, said in an interview with the Frontier he first learned about Global Accountability several years ago and was impressed by their platform.
Ford said he doesn’t see the associated costs for parolees and probationers, like keeping up with phone bills, as a problem.
“I want to help them get back on their feet,” Ford said. “I want to do everything I can to make sure that they’re successful when they’re released from the penitentiary. But you have to also pay your debt to society too and part of that is paying fees.”
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Ford said he thinks using the platform to monitor parole, probation and food stamp benefits could help the state save money. He’s requested another interim study on using the company’s technology for food stamp benefits, but a date hasn’t been posted yet.
Other legislators are more skeptical of the platform. Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, said he thought the platform could be helpful, but he doesn’t see a benefit to Oklahoma being an early adopter. He said he’d like to let software companies work out some of the kinks first and then consider investing when the technology becomes less expensive.
Rep. David Hardin, R-Stilwell, said he remains unconvinced by Global Accountability’s presentation. He said the Department of Corrections would likely need to request a budget increase to fund the program, which would need legislative approval. Unless the company can alleviate some of his concerns, he said he doubts any related bill would pass the Public Safety committee that he chairs.
“You can tell me anything,” Hardin said. “I want to see what you’re doing. I want you to prove to me that it’s going to work before I start authorizing the sale of taxpayer money.”
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