Will electronic monitoring (EM) reduce the use of imprisonment in less serious cases in Saudi Arabia?

Abstract

Abstract This study conducts a systematic review of the literature related to electronic monitoring (EM) as a punishment for criminal offenders and its possible impact on reducing the reliance on prison sentences for less serious cases in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This review was undertaken in light of statistics that provide evidence that Saudi Arabia’s incarceration rate is growing rapidly. First, this research asserts that electronic monitoring has the potential to replace prison in some cases by examining international examples in which EM has proven its ability to achieve this aim, in addition to its other benefits, such as cost reduction, reduction of recidivism and assistance with rehabilitating offenders. Second, this study investigated the history of alternative sentences around the world in the context of their ability to replace prison sentences for less serious cases. This investigation determined the lessons learnt, from which the KSA will benefit when introducing EM: (1) the judges’ confidence in EM plays an important role in its success, because one of the reasons why other alternative sanctions have failed to reducing the use of imprisonment in less serious cases was the lack of confidence among judges regarding these sanctions; (2) the community’s confidence in EM is also influential in the success of this alternative punishment, as the judges’ decision is affected by pressure from society; and (3) the procedures that must be followed in the event of a breach of EM in the KSA should be carefully considered in light of the potential for violations of an EM sentence to lead to an even greater reliance on prison sentences as punishment, along with the associated costs.