What is House Arrest in Indiana?

In Indiana, the Indiana Department of Corrections has an electronic monitoring program includes three components:

  • GPS Monitoring
  • Home detention
  • Alcohol monitoring

It is possible for individuals to serve their home detention (house arrest)sentence while receiving guidance and supervision from:

  • Electronic monitoring
  • Risk and need assessments
  • Case planning to address criminogenic needs

GPS

Forms of Electronic Monitoring

House arrest, home detention or electronic monitoring is supervised under three separate types of programs. If an individual is on bond, also called a pre-trial status, or in post-conviction, depending on the nature of the case, one of the following forms of home detention programs:

  • GPS monitoring
  • Traditional home detention
  • Alcohol monitoring

GPS Monitoring

GPS monitoring, is primarily used in cases in the Pre-Trial status. GPS monitoring is used especially in cases of stalking or domestic violence. With the GPS monitoring portion of the home detention program, Community Corrections utilizes global positioning satellite technology to actively monitor and observe movements of an individual outside of their home. With GPS monitoring, if the accused enters an area deemed as an exclusion zone, the GPS monitoring center will immediately contact the case manager and/or field officer who investigates the potential violation of the court-ordered monitoring requirement.

Home Detention

Individuals on home detention are supervised by Case Managers with the Department of Corrections. The Case Managers conduct face-to-face visits and maintain regular contact with clients. Clients may leave their residence for the following reasons:

  • Employment
  • Education
  • Religious services
  • Counseling
  • Treatment
  • Medical appointments

If clients or their family members need:

  • Substance abuse treatment
  • Mental health counseling
  • Employment assistance

The job of the offenders case managers is that they have a responsibility to provide any necessary, relevant referral information for the best services available so that the house arrest sentence is served without any incident.

Community Corrections

Alcohol Monitoring

The alcohol monitoring component of home detention, is typically used in cases where alcohol was involved in the alleged commission of the crime. Alcohol monitoring is generally used in combination with the offender wearing a home detention and/or GPS monitoring ankle bracelet. Clients placed into an alcohol monitoring supervision program are required to randomly blow into the mouthpiece of a monitoring device  to detect any alcohol consumption.

How Much Does House Arrest Cost

To be eligible to participate in the Indiana Department of Corrections Home Detention program will be required to pay, unless declared indigent, an initial $50.00 installation fee plus $10.00 per everyday spent on supervision. An exceptions is possible for low-income participants. All clients receive a Financial Analysis Worksheet at their initial processing into Community Corrections, to help determine the most appropriate daily rate.

House Arrest Requirements

In order to qualify for home detention in Indiana, the individual must complete three requirements which are as follows:

  1. Maintain a residence in the county of or any of the surrounding counties where the offense or conviction occurred,  unless otherwise approved by the court.
  2. Maintain full-time, verifiable employment
  3. Unless declared indigent, home detention participants must pay an amount of $50.00 installation fee plus a minimum of $10.00 per day under supervision. The rate can be lowered upon completed Financial Analysis Worksheet.

How Much Does House Arrest Cost?

In the area of house arrest in Indiana, generally speaking, in an attempt to keep offenders accountable, to achieve the maximum level of community protection there is a considerable taxpayer dollar spend resulting in a high cost of incarceration. The costs of jailing an offender vary but can easily approach $70 to $80 per day. Currently, in most Indiana counties, house arrest costs a minimum of $50.00 to set up and a minimum of $10-$15 per day in community correction monitoring fees.

The Goal of House Arrest is Successful Completion

House arrest is not meant to be a route to serving a jail or prison sentence. The goal of house arrest or home detention is for an individual to successfully complete the time sentenced to electronic monitoring, not for an individual to violate the rules and be sentenced to their “backup-time” for violating the rules of the home detention as set forth by the court. House arrest in Indiana can be completed successfully.