IN- Sex offender tracking program abruptly ends

6-20-2008 Indiana:

Brian Holtz, who was put in charge of the GPS pilot program in Vanderburgh County, was under the impression the state wanted the county to continue monitoring a certain group of sex offenders on GPS tracking devices until late august or September when the program was supposed to end.

You can imagine his surprise when he learned the program was ordered over months earlier than expected.

"There was no warning given," said Holtz, who was was stunned when he learned the state was pulling a pilot program tracking sex offenders. "To say the least, I was disappointed and a little shocked it ended the way it did."

"We weren't given a reason. I wasn't given a reason," he said.

But the Indiana Department of Corrections said the reason is simple. Money. The pilot program was funded by a federal grant, and that grant ran out.

"Unfortunately, you know, everything boils down to money but it's also about what it does, it's also about priorities that's where priorities and what is important," said Holtz.

Vanderburgh County Sheriff Eric Williams was thrilled his county was chosen for the test program and he says it was a successful one getting expanded to tracking even more offenders late last year.

"It worked out very well for us because they paid for the equipment, they provided us with all the stuff we needed and then they paid us a fee to monitor each one of these," Williams said.

"I thought it was going to continue for a while because they were wanting to expand it," said Holtz.

And Holtz said it was difficult removing those GPS devices from the offenders. "I was reluctant to do so, because it again goes back to a safeguard for the community."

He said the monitoring devices kept the offenders in check. Out of the 85 who went through the program, only seven got arrested for other crimes. A program with great success, but no funding to support it.

A new law passed in Indiana ordered to take effect July 1, 2009, requires offenders deemed sexually violent by the courts to be tracked by GPS once released from prison.

A spokesperson for the Indiana Department of Corrections said that while the law has been passed and will be required, a determination on where the money will come from has not been figured out. ..News Source.. by WFIE