Teens who have committed crimes may have ankle monitors, but they are not being tracked. WDSU Investigates found teenage criminals in Orleans Parish who are released on ankle monitors are not being monitored daily by the courts.”If you’re asking that in real-time, no, we do not know where they are currently,” Orleans Parish Juvenile Court Head Judge Ranord Darensburg said.WDSU Investigates sat down with Darensburg, who explained the court judges only received information about where the teens went after 30 days or their next court date. “That’s a report in the past tense,” Darensburg said. “That’s where the kid has been, not where the kid is currently nor where it will be going in the future.”Darensburg says having a monitoring system and communication with youth offenders is important.”We believe that a successful juvenile justice system is one that’s able to manage youth outside of detention,” Darensburg said.Right now, Orleans Parish Juvenile Courts use 25 ankle monitors borrowed from the Office of Juvenile Justice.WDSU Investigates uncovered that the courts aren’t receiving data in real-time.On the other hand, the adult criminal court system has ankle monitors. A majority of those being monitored are through a company called ASAP that provides real-time data from ankle monitors to NOPD and the Judges.The cost is passed on to the person wearing it.WDSU asked Darensburg why not use the same company in the juvenile system.”Our parents cannot afford $250 a month,” Darensburg said.”One of the things we do in juvenile court is try not to create a barrier of finance. This is a system we are using, as the best we can to monitor. This is borrowed for free. This is free for us to the court and to the family.”Some say this current system for juveniles is not working since the judges only get ankle monitor data every 30 days.WDSU spoke to three victims of three separate crimes, from carjackings to shootings, who want to remain anonymous for their safety.”I think it’s sickening. I think the community should be very alarmed by it,” one victim said.Another victim tells WDSU that they’re scared more will happen. “These violent criminals are being released back on the streets to re-victimize their victims,” the victim said. “How many times in the last year have we seen where someone went and finish the job, and that is solely because they’re allowed.”Recently New Orleans police arrested a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old hours after, police said, they gunned down a local man in a robbery attempt. The 13-year-old had been arrested in the past and was wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet.”It it is a big problem, Cassie,” District Attorney Jason Williams said. “I think you’re really on to something in terms of why repeat offenders are creating new problems for community members and causing more harm after they’ve already been arrested.”Williams says after our inquiries, he is now taking a look into how ankle monitors are being used in the parish.”If no one is looking at the screen to see where that dot is going on the map in New Orleans, then there is no monitor; it’s just a bracelet,” Williams said.Williams says he believes the criminals know this as well.”If an accused person realizes that they do something that is in violation of their release while on a monitor and they get away with it one day, you can rest assured they’re probably going to take that and turn into a mile,” Williams said. “And that’s what we’re seeing so. We need to put some real either brakes on releases when the monitor is going. To be applied. Or add a whole bunch of more robust systems to put in place with electronic monitoring. It’s necessary for the sake of public safety.”Judges have even raised questions after some city leaders, including Mayor Latoya Cantrell, have pointed fingers at the judges for not going to meetings and as New Orleans has seen a large number of violent incidents with teens wearing ankle monitors. At a recent crime commission meeting before City Council Members, Judge Candice Bates-Anderson spoke passionately about the issue. “We’ve been speaking about this ankle monitor system for 365 days or more,” Bates-Anderson said. “Always if the fingers are being pointed, it goes right back at the judges. Well, here it is in black and white. We have given to you all – to the council to the mayor, the commissioner – what our needs are.”Those judges say instead of getting a new ankle monitor system, they’re proposing the city invest in a program called RePath, a program that monitors teens through their phones. “We can track them better through GPS monitoring, and we can have check-ins more frequently,” Darensburg said. “And what we can do with this process is that we’re able to be in touch with youth, we can contact them when we know they’re out of the range.”The website says the program is utilized to electronically assist individuals through the criminal justice process. Agencies are able to choose from multiple supervision levels depending on specific client needs including:Purely assistive approach including court reminders, remote visits, access to community resources, no location tracking.Restrictive supervision. How it works is you download the app, once downloaded, the RePath app begins providing immediate recordings of GPS activity to the participant and the supervising agency. WDSU’s investigative reporter asked Darensburg if the app would make it easier for the kid to put the phone down or walk away from the phone. Darensburg says it wouldn’t be different than what they have now. “It’s no different than when they don’t charge the electronic monitor or they cut it off,” said Darensburg. “I mean, and it’s not a solution to a problem. What it is is a tool to help us to be able to more manage youth.”The program would cost the city $72,000, equivalent to $2.00 per day per youth for 100 youths. “Keeps us connected with them,” said Darensburg. “It keeps us involved in their lives and keeps other people involved in their lives as well. Unlike the ankle monitor, this tool allows us to connect the families.”But ultimately, will it deter crime? Darensburg hopes so. “Some kids are committing crimes when they wear them, and some kids have never been in jail when they commit crimes,” said Darensburg. “Our goal is not– we can’t predict the future.”At this time, the RePath app for the phones is just a proposal from the juvenile judges and has not been taken up by city council.
Teens who have committed crimes may have ankle monitors, but they are not being tracked.
WDSU Investigates found teenage criminals in Orleans Parish who are released on ankle monitors are not being monitored daily by the courts.
“If you’re asking that in real-time, no, we do not know where they are currently,” Orleans Parish Juvenile Court Head Judge Ranord Darensburg said.
WDSU Investigates sat down with Darensburg, who explained the court judges only received information about where the teens went after 30 days or their next court date.
“That’s a report in the past tense,” Darensburg said. “That’s where the kid has been, not where the kid is currently nor where it will be going in the future.”
Darensburg says having a monitoring system and communication with youth offenders is important.
“We believe that a successful juvenile justice system is one that’s able to manage youth outside of detention,” Darensburg said.
Right now, Orleans Parish Juvenile Courts use 25 ankle monitors borrowed from the Office of Juvenile Justice.
WDSU Investigates uncovered that the courts aren’t receiving data in real-time.
On the other hand, the adult criminal court system has ankle monitors. A majority of those being monitored are through a company called ASAP that provides real-time data from ankle monitors to NOPD and the Judges.
The cost is passed on to the person wearing it.
WDSU asked Darensburg why not use the same company in the juvenile system.
“Our parents cannot afford $250 a month,” Darensburg said.
“One of the things we do in juvenile court is try not to create a barrier of finance. This is a system we are using, as the best we can to monitor. This is borrowed for free. This is free for us to the court and to the family.”
Some say this current system for juveniles is not working since the judges only get ankle monitor data every 30 days.
WDSU spoke to three victims of three separate crimes, from carjackings to shootings, who want to remain anonymous for their safety.
“I think it’s sickening. I think the community should be very alarmed by it,” one victim said.
Another victim tells WDSU that they’re scared more will happen.
“These violent criminals are being released back on the streets to re-victimize their victims,” the victim said. “How many times in the last year have we seen where someone went and finish the job, and that is solely because they’re allowed.”
Recently New Orleans police arrested a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old hours after, police said, they gunned down a local man in a robbery attempt. The 13-year-old had been arrested in the past and was wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet.
“It it is a big problem, Cassie,” District Attorney Jason Williams said. “I think you’re really on to something in terms of why repeat offenders are creating new problems for community members and causing more harm after they’ve already been arrested.”
Williams says after our inquiries, he is now taking a look into how ankle monitors are being used in the parish.
“If no one is looking at the screen to see where that dot is going on the map in New Orleans, then there is no monitor; it’s just a bracelet,” Williams said.
Williams says he believes the criminals know this as well.
“If an accused person realizes that they do something that is in violation of their release while on a monitor and they get away with it one day, you can rest assured they’re probably going to take that and turn into a mile,” Williams said. “And that’s what we’re seeing so. We need to put some real either brakes on releases when the monitor is going. To be applied. Or add a whole bunch of more robust systems to put in place with electronic monitoring. It’s necessary for the sake of public safety.”
Judges have even raised questions after some city leaders, including Mayor Latoya Cantrell, have pointed fingers at the judges for not going to meetings and as New Orleans has seen a large number of violent incidents with teens wearing ankle monitors.
At a recent crime commission meeting before City Council Members, Judge Candice Bates-Anderson spoke passionately about the issue.
“We’ve been speaking about this ankle monitor system for 365 days or more,” Bates-Anderson said. “Always if the fingers are being pointed, it goes right back at the judges. Well, here it is in black and white. We have given to you all – to the council to the mayor, the commissioner – what our needs are.”
Those judges say instead of getting a new ankle monitor system, they’re proposing the city invest in a program called RePath, a program that monitors teens through their phones.
“We can track them better through GPS monitoring, and we can have check-ins more frequently,” Darensburg said. “And what we can do with this process is that we’re able to be in touch with youth, we can contact them when we know they’re out of the range.”
The website says the program is utilized to electronically assist individuals through the criminal justice process. Agencies are able to choose from multiple supervision levels depending on specific client needs including:
- Purely assistive approach including court reminders, remote visits, access to community resources, no location tracking.
- Restrictive supervision.
How it works is you download the app, once downloaded, the RePath app begins providing immediate recordings of GPS activity to the participant and the supervising agency.
WDSU’s investigative reporter asked Darensburg if the app would make it easier for the kid to put the phone down or walk away from the phone.
Darensburg says it wouldn’t be different than what they have now.
“It’s no different than when they don’t charge the electronic monitor or they cut it off,” said Darensburg. “I mean, and it’s not a solution to a problem. What it is is a tool to help us to be able to more manage youth.”
The program would cost the city $72,000, equivalent to $2.00 per day per youth for 100 youths.
“Keeps us connected with them,” said Darensburg. “It keeps us involved in their lives and keeps other people involved in their lives as well. Unlike the ankle monitor, this tool allows us to connect the families.”
But ultimately, will it deter crime? Darensburg hopes so.
“Some kids are committing crimes when they wear them, and some kids have never been in jail when they commit crimes,” said Darensburg. “Our goal is not– we can’t predict the future.”
At this time, the RePath app for the phones is just a proposal from the juvenile judges and has not been taken up by city council.