People in conflict with the criminal law will be monitored electronically

The government has approved a draft law on amending and supplementing the Law on Probation, Criminal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and Execution Code.

Thus, it should be noted that under the action plan for the implementation of the justice sector reform strategy for the years 2011-2016, approved by Parliament Decision no. 6 of February 16, 2012, the Central probation office jointly with the Ministry of Justice drafted the law that focuses on electronic monitoring of certain categories of persons who are in conflict with the criminal law, taking into account the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and European practice on electronic monitoring.

Statistics show that every year there is an increase of the number of persons convicted to conditional suspension of sentence or conditionally released from the execution of the sentence and in order to prevent cases of breaches of the probation conditions and ensuring the security of citizens, the Central probation office jointly with the Ministry of Justice plans an objective of reducing by 30% of the number of violations of probation conditions by 2018.

Therefore, based on court decisions, some categories of persons in conflict with the criminal law will wear bracelets and transmitters, which due to the GPS technology will signalize to the Monitoring Centres, via mobile phone or home/office phone, the infringement for finding in the prohibited areas. In the first year of application of this bond will be electronically monitored around 100 people, with gradually increasing from year to year of the monitored persons.

Another important aspect of the project is the establishment at the district level of the Advisory Council of probation, where will be undertaken concrete actions to efficient cooperation between governmental and non-governmental institutions, which will contribute substantially to the successful reintegration of probation subjects in the society.

Also, in order to ensure the concordance to the provisions of Law No. 98 of 4^th May 2012 on the Specialized Central Public Administration, was proposed the renaming of the Central Probation Office in the National Inspectorate of Probation, and the creation of three (3) Regional Inspectorates of Probation (North, Center, South) with the legal person status, in whose structure will be included the probation offices.

In order to enter into force the proposed amendments and additions, the draft law shall be voted in the Parliament and promulgated by the President of the Republic of Moldova.