MDOC agents recognized for work with alcohol-involved offenders

DENVER, April 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Each day, field agents with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) strive to improve public safety by helping people on probation and parole successfully reenter their communities.

This week, 32 field agents from 17 counties were recognized for their exceptional use of alcohol monitoring technology and outstanding case management in 2016, resulting in a high compliance rate for alcohol-involved offenders under their supervision.

MDOC agents work with individuals under supervision for serious alcohol-related offenses, including felony OUILs and assaults, to ensure they stay sober and are compliant with the court-ordered conditions of their probation or parole.

"We're proud of our agents for the hard work they do to keep the community safe by holding offenders accountable and guiding them to crime-free lives," said Michigan Department of Corrections Director Heidi Washington.

Compliance data was provided by Alcohol Monitoring Systems (AMS). MDOC uses the company's SCRAM Continuous Alcohol Monitoring^® (SCRAM CAM^®) technology to monitor high-risk offenders automatically, every 30 minutes, 24/7.

"More than 90% of individuals monitored with CAM technology have alcohol abuse and misuse issues and are repeat offenders," says Kathleen Brown, spokesperson for AMS. "Alcohol is the root cause of their criminal behavior, which makes ensuring they're sober key for maintaining public safety while they're supervised in the community." The technology allows agents to monitor compliance and facilitates rapid intervention if there is a violation.

In 2016, MDOC used SCRAM CAM bracelets to monitor nearly 6,000 individuals on probation or parole for a total of 543,217 days. On any given day 99.5% of alcohol offenders in Michigan who wear the bracelet are sober and fully compliant, and nearly 80% of the offenders complete their monitoring with no violations.

By taking alcohol out of the equation, the chance that an individual will reoffend is reduced.

"If offenders aren't drinking, they're not drinking and driving, or abusing a loved one. The combination of technology and superior program management makes MDOC's program a standout nationwide," says Brown.

About Alcohol Monitoring Systems, Inc. (AMS)
Established in 1997, Alcohol Monitoring Systems, Inc. (AMS) is the world's leading provider of alcohol testing technologies for the criminal justice industry. The company's flagship Continuous Alcohol Monitoring (CAM) technology, launched in 2003, revolutionized the way courts, agencies and treatment providers monitor and manage alcohol-involved offenders. In 2013 the company launched the SCRAM Systems suite of electronic monitoring technologies, which includes SCRAM Remote Breath^®, SCRAM GPS^®, and SCRAM House Arrest^®. AMS employs 240 people worldwide and is a privately-held company headquartered in Littleton, Colorado.

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SOURCE Alcohol Monitoring Systems, Inc.