There are currently 15 convicts wearing ankle monitors in Luxembourg. Proponents of ankle monitors promote them as a more humane alternative to jail. The tag sends a regular signal to the monitoring centre which, in return, confirms the presence of the convict in their place of curfew. In other words, convicts can trade jail-time for a kind of supervised house arrest.
According to Minister of Justice Sam Tanson, convicts in Luxembourg are eligible to wear ankle monitors either during the last year of a longer sentence or if they were sentenced to less than three years. Around 200 people have worn ankle monitors since 2018. The majority of the convicts had received short prison sentences. They were able to trade actual jail time with house arrest.
Ankle monitors are currently not used for individuals convicted of domestic violence. In her reply to a parliamentary question by CSV MP Léon Gloden, Tanson stated that officials are currently debating to change the legislature in this context.
The authorities recorded generally positive experiences with ankle monitors for convicts, Tanson said. She conceded that there had been a number of technical problems but they had rarely been due to a deliberate manipulation.
The current government procurement of the ankle monitors is expiring next year. According to the minister, the competent authorities will then decide about which technologies and software to use in the future.
