Common Penalties For Removing An Electronic Monitoring Device

If you or someone you know has been placed on house arrested and tagged  with an electronic monitoring device, then there are a few things that you should know.  Those who must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet do so as a result of a court ruling, and removing electronic monitoring device bracelets can thus subject you to more severe criminal sanctions.

Understanding the Rules for Moving Electronic Monitoring Device Bracelets

An electronic monitoring device is a tracking device that will track the movement of an offender while simultaneously limiting where the offender can go within the community.  House arrest is a form of detention because offenders are only allowed to go so far within a given area.  The square mileage that an offender is allowed to travel is predetermined by the House Arrest office.

Unfortunately, some people who are under house arrest, go as far as to try to remove the arrest bracelet either not realizing or not caring about the repercussions that they will face for their actions. Depending on the state where the offender lives:

• If a person intentionally removes the electronic monitoring bracelet, he or she could be found guilty of a felony. 
• When he or she is convicted, he will also be fined approximately five thousand dollars as well as face the possibility of being sent to prison for five years. 

The charges for intentionally removing the bracelet are pretty severe, and you want to ask yourself if removing the bracelet is worth the risk of going to prison, being fined and convicted of a felony crime.  For most, nothing is worth those consequences.

Should your electronic monitoring bracelet accidentally come off, then you will need to report this to your probation officer and House Arrest office as soon possible.  Your probation officer will better be able to assess the damage and replace the electronic monitoring bracelet without you suffering the consequences of being charged with a felony for removing the device intentionally.

Playing it safe and playing by the rules is essential when it comes to having to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet. 

Getting Help

For more information on electronic monitoring bracelets, house arrest and the rules and regulations regarding house arrest, then you should consider contacting an experienced criminal attorney. Your lawyer can explain any potential penalties in your state for removing the bracelet, and if you need to remove it to leave your home for a legitimate reason, your lawyer can assist you in getting the proper permissions so you remain in compliance with the law.