WS Chronicle

The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) is looking to acquire new technology that would cut jail cost and allow offenders with minor offenses the opportunity to be productive citizens and continue a somewhat normal way of life. 

If approved by County Commissioners, the FCSO will move forward with a year-long contract with Corrisoft, LLC to use their monitoring system with offenders who meet certain criteria. Similar to the technology used by probation and parole officers, the monitoring system uses an ankle bracelet with GPS (Global Position System) technology to keep track of an offender’s location. Corrisoft’s monitoring system is unique because along with an ankle bracelet, offenders who are eligible will also be given a smartphone. 

According to Chief Deputy Rocky Johnson, the combination of the ankle bracelet and the smartphone gives offenders the opportunity to go to work and other places they need to go. Johnson said as long as they have the smartphone with them, they can move about freely without any issues. He said, “Some if the issues we’re seeing is there are some people over there that just can’t afford to get out. They’re losing their jobs and stuff because they can’t afford to get out.”

As an example, Johnson briefly discussed a case where an offender had a $500 bond that she couldn’t make. Unfortunately, the offender had to serve a 90-day sentence and as a result she lost her job. 

“With this, we could let her out and not let the $500 be punitive. And that way she could go to work, keep her job and move freely,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the minutes and data on the smartphones are completely covered in the contract and offenders can use the phones for no charge. He also mentioned that the phones can also be used to send offenders court dates and other important dates and information. All monitoring will be handled by Corrisoft, who also has the technology to access the camera and other features on the smartphone.

With medical and food service expenses, as well as human resources to provide security, confinement in the Forsyth County jail costs taxpayers around $85 per day. The yearlong contract with Corrisoft, LLC, would cost $65,000, which is about $12 per day. When going over the contract with the Board of Commissioners last week, Johnson said he could identify several people in custody right now who would meet the criteria for the program. 

“We could easily find 25 people that meet the criteria that we could let out of the jail tomorrow and just the cost alone for feeding them would be saved on its own,” Johnson said. “We could pick and choose the people we put on those monitors if we get the contract. It’s just a good tool we could use.”

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners are expected to make a decision on the contract with Corrisoft, LLC, during their weekly meeting today at 2:00 p.m. The Board of Commissioners meets on the third floor of the Forsyth County Government Building, 201 North Chestnut Street.