Bail reform in NSW: Sky News goes into a DV monitoring center in Sydney, tracking the movements of some of the state’s most serious alleged criminals

It’s a 24-hour job by about 60 correctional officers who take turns monitoring accused criminals.

Three weeks after bail reform came into effect, Sky News Australia was given an exclusive tour of the facility to see how the tracing process works.

Corrective Service NSW Acting Commissioner Leon Taylor said the team was well prepared to cope with the changes.

“We currently have eight offenders who are on bail using electronic monitoring and this number has increased over the last couple of weeks as the courts introduce new laws,” Acting Commissioner Taylor said.

“Both the metro and outlying areas of New South Wales.”

Under the reforms, people charged with serious domestic violence offenses will be fitted with electronic ankle monitors before being released into the community.

A serious domestic violence crime is one that carries a maximum penalty of 14 years or more in prison, such as sexual assault and kidnapping.

“It was modeled on around 50 offenders who we expect to be released on bail at one time and subject to electronic monitoring,” Acting Commissioner Taylor said.

“It may reach around 80, but within that number we are well resourced and able to handle any number that comes to us through the courts.”

Using GPS technology, officers can track the location of a suspected criminal in real time.

If someone charged with a serious domestic violence offense visits a geographical location that they are prohibited from entering as part of their bail conditions, known as an ‘exclusion zone’, officers will immediately contact the police as well as the victim.

This may include the area around the ex-partner’s home, place of work or school.

“We have deployed a couple of hundred (ankle monitors) across the state so that we can respond to all the courts and jails in a timely manner,” the acting commissioner said.

NSW Corrections Minister Anulak Chanthivong said he was confident state police had the resources needed to respond quickly.

“If we need to deploy more resources, we will do so,” Minister Chanthivong said.

The monitoring center tracks more than 1,200 suspected offenders, including serious alleged domestic violence offenders on parole, those on extended supervision, those serving a prison sentence and on overseas leave, and serious alleged offenders. sex offenders and terrorism defendants.

“…so implementing bail reform has not been a big change in the work we do here in corrections,” Acting Commissioner Taylor said.

The well-lit so-called “bunker” is divided into separate rows of officers who are responsible for tracking down different types of suspected criminals.

Large screens on the ankle monitor display offenders’ names, location, movement, risk level and battery level.

“If the bracelet is not charged, they contact the offender. If the offender does not charge the device, they may be hacked and returned to custody,” Acting Commissioner Taylor said.

“Bracelets are very difficult to remove and if a criminal manages to cut the bracelet off, we know the police are contacted here and that person is arrested.”

An officer may contact a group of suspected criminals up to 40 times a day for a variety of reasons, including if they are seen loitering outside the “exclusion zone”, if their knee pad battery is low or if they deviate from an agreed schedule.

Bail reform was introduced in New South Wales following a public outcry over the alleged murder of young Forbes mother Molly Ticehurst.

At the time of her death, her ex-partner was out on bail.

The Minns government has also removed the presumption of bail for people charged with serious domestic violence offences, placing the burden of proof on them to show why they should be released from custody.

All bail decisions must now be made by magistrates or judges.

In Molly’s case, the registrar approved the release of her alleged killer from custody.