However, YSI has had discussions with New York corrections officials and judges who determine where young offenders go. The company claims that the initiatives have their support. As at 31 December 1996, YSI operated 20 residential programmes in 12 states. Unregulated home detention A prisoner who raped four women and robbed two others while under the supervision of Monitoring Services Inc., has brought electronic monitoring and home detention in the state of Maryland under scrutiny. Officials are now re-examining the use of the private sector.
Companies have no permits to operate and no contracts with corrections authorities.
In Maryland, state judges have discretion to order both those awaiting trial and sentenced prisoners to spend their time in home detention. The private companies became established as state and county electronic monitoring programmes became full. However, the companies are not subject to minimum standards and detainees can simply shop around for the company which will impose the least restrictions. No public agency collects data on breaches or crimes committed by those on home detention programmes. Maryland corrections officials say they have no legal authority to ensure that companies adequately supervise their clients.