Glossary of Terms

Absconder/AWOL

An individual under community supervision that knowingly:

  • Fails to report for supervision,
  • Leaves a designated residence or other scheduled mandatory location while under house arrest,
  • Removes or disables a monitoring or tracking device

Active GPS Tracking

  • GPS location monitoring with regularly scheduled reporting of tracking data utilizing a cellular communications network while the client is moving about the community. Most Active GPS tracking systems increase the reporting frequency when a violation is reported.
  • With On Board Intelligence, ABK Tracking’s GPS systems store inclusion and exclusion zones within the tracking unit. Once a location is determined, the unit compares its location to those zones stored in the unit. If there is a violation, it is immediately reported to the monitoring center. Violations reporting of systems without On Board Intelligence are delayed until locations are reported to the host computer for zone compliance processing.

Client

  • Defendant, Offender, Juvenile delinquent, and other persons being supervised in the community.

Cuff

  • Secured ankle transmitter used to tether the client to a home based, mobile, or tracking receiver.

 

Exclusion Zone

  • A geographic area that the client is prohibited from entering. Exclusion zones may be used to delineate a victim’s home or work-place, or for sex offenders and child victimizers, playgrounds and elementary schools.
  • ABK Tracking stores both exclusion and inclusion zones and schedules in Personal Tracking Units (PTU) carried by the supervised individual. As GPS locations are calculated, the PTU compares its location to the zones stored in the unit.

House Arrest or Home Curfew

  • Refers to a confinement of a client in their home. House arrest usually refers to conditions that require the client to remain in the home 24 hours a day except when they are required to be at work or in court.
  • Home curfew usually refers to conditions that require the client to remain at home during scheduled periods. A client under house arrest may be allowed to leave Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The same client under home curfew may be allowed to leave the home every day from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM. If the monitored individual violates these conditions, an alert is sent to the supervising officer and automatically logged into the client’s history.
  • Typically, house arrest relies upon RF technology to monitor the individual’s presence at a required location because GPS signals are more difficult to receive indoors.

Inclusion Zones

  • A defined geographic area where a monitored individual is required to be during specific time periods. Supervising officers receive alerts when the individual is not within the “inclusion zone” during specified time periods. Inclusion zones typically include residence, work, job training and counseling sessions.
  • One of the major advantages of GPS monitoring compared to other forms of electronic surveillance is its ability to confirm participation in required rehabilitation classes and/or counseling, and for juvenile programs to monitor school attendance.
  • Onboard Intelligence allows ABK Tracking Passive PTU’s to compute locations and detect inclusion zone violations, notify the client via PTU alarms immediately, and automatically send alerts to the monitoring host computer.

 

Personal Tracking Unit (PTU)

The portable component of a two piece tracking unit that is worn or carried by the client and is used to acquire GPS location signals.

RF or Radio Frequency

Refers to any frequency within the wireless communications electromagnetic spectrum associated with radio waves (Radio Frequency). In the EM industry historically RF implies transmitting at 300 400 or 900 spectrum.

When an RF signal and antenna work together, a field is created in which data can travel wirelessly. Within the context of electronic monitoring, RF typically refers to the electronic tether between the transmitter and home receiver, or between the transmitter and Portable Tracking Units. These signals are usually transmitted at frequencies in the 300, 400, and 900 bands. For two piece and some one-piece GPS systems, IF the receiver no longer detects the signal then the location of the client is uncertain, and an alert is automatically sent to the monitoring center and supervising officer.

Two Piece GPS Systems

Consists of two or more physically separate devices; two remain with the client at all times. The first must be securely attached to the client 24 hours a day; the second is clipped, carried, or kept close by the client at all times. At least one of these devices is able to sense the proximity of the other and will record a violation should its proximity to the other exceed a specified distance. At least one of these devices gathers and stores tracking information; at least one communicates tracking and status data to a central host computer or interfaces to another device that that communicates with the host.