Victim notification through GPS tech

GPS Monitoring Solutions has created a GPS product that may have an impact on cases that involve restraining/protective orders such as domestic violence and stalking cases. Currently, most GPS system used with offenders are passive. To access current and past locations, a law enforcement official must log in and ping the device to retrieve the information. If there is an active component such as with house arrest, the notification is only transmitted to law enforcement.

However, this new implementation of GPS would create real-time victim notifications. The victim receives a cell phone that would alert them if the offender entered an area determined by the restraining order. Not only would it provide location details needed for potential prosecution but the notification component is an active and potentially lifesaving new feature. If I understand it correctly, the phone could be set to provide a visual and/or auditory alert as well as text and email notifications.

Anyone who has ever worked with victims know that a restraining order is another passive tool. It has no restraining capabilities. Offenders walk through restraining orders all the time, often with devastating results. This application of GPS technology could prevent a violent altercation from occurring by giving the victim notification that the offender is in the vicinity. If not already implemented, an additional component could be to alert law enforcement whenever the restraining order was broken by signaling location information and have a unit dispatched to that location.

The following clips aren’t the greatest but are the only videos I could find about the technology and the company.