Domestic abuse perpetrators in 4 Romanian counties will be tracked by means of electronic tagging as pilot project is finally launched

The long-awaited pilot project for monitoring offenders who are under judicial control or house arrest by means of electronic tag bracelets is launching this autumn.

The project will first be launched in Bucharest, Iasi, Mures, and Vrancea.

Through this project, offenders under judicial supervision, under house arrest, or subject to restraining orders will be monitored by electronic bracelets that track their movements via GPS, as part of the Electronic Monitoring Information System (SIME).

According to HotNews.ro, SIME is defined as a set of dedicated computer systems, applications, communication, and information technology equipment and networks, as well as electronic surveillance devices, intended for electronic monitoring in judicial and criminal enforcement proceedings.

The implementation of SIME is meant to be done in several phases, the first of which is going to involve perpetrators of domestic violence, where restraining orders have been issued to prevent such violence from occurring.

The procedure works like this: the perpetrator wears the bracelet, and the victim of domestic violence receives a twin device.

When the abuser exceeds the distance limitations imposed by the restraining order, the system will alert the police.

In order to enforce this new type of monitorization, the national police force will need more than 47 new officers and 604 agents in this phase alone, according to a draft decree on August 10 governmental agenda, quoted by HotNews.ro.

The draft decree sets the timeline for rollout (it is supposed to begin on October 1) and covers the technical and organizational aspects of operating the pilot Electronic Monitoring Information System including the conditions under which a person may be ordered by law to wear an electronic surveillance device.

The implementation of the program will be done in three stages:

• the first stage, between 2022 and 2023, will take place at the level of the municipality of Bucharest and the counties of Iasi, Mures, and Vrancea;

• during the second stage, in 2024, the counties of Bacău, Brașov, Caraș-Severin, Călărași, Cluj, Covasna, Galați, Giurgiu, Harghita, Ilfov, Mehedinți, Neamț, Prahova, Sibiu, Satu-Mare, Sălaj, Teleorman, Vaslui and Vâlcea will be added;

• the third stage, in 2025, will see the addition of the counties of Alba, Arad, Argeș, Bihor, Bistrița-Năsăud, Botoșani, Brăila, Buzău, Constanța, Dâmbovița, Dolj, Gorj, Hunedoara, Ialomița, Maramureș, Olt, Suceava, Timiș and Tulcea.