(Link to interview: “21st century slavery, electronic style” (2 min.) to hear the rest of the video:Part 1  (12 min) Part 2: (12 min.)

Jean-Pierre Shackelford wore an ankle bracelet for almost three years as a result of an unfortunate criminal case. Although he had a Masters’ degree and a successful career, he found electronic monitoring a huge obstacle to getting his life back on track. Here he talks about his experience and dispels some of the myths about how electronic monitoring automatically grants people the freedom to work, participate in family activities and do whatever they must do to get their life back together post-incarceration.

His is but one of many stories that will eventually appear here to show how electronic monitoring needs to take into account the “rights of the monitored” if it is to live up to the promise of providing people with enough freedom to move ahead. It is not good enough to simply tell people they should be grateful that they are not in prison or jail. They need support plus some rules and regulations which guarantee them some rights to do what is necessary to be successful.