[2022 National Audit] One Staff Member Manages 23 People Under 'Electronic Monitoring'

Among 5 Probation Offices in Seoul, 4 Lack an 'Electronic Supervision Department'
OECD Major Countries Manage Fewer Than 10 Individuals per Electronic Supervision Staff Member

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] It has been revealed that the number of intensive electronic monitoring subjects managed by probation offices in the Seoul area is about twice the appropriate number.

According to the status of dedicated staff at probation offices in the Seoul area submitted by the Ministry of Justice on the 5th to Kwon In-sook, a member of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, it was confirmed that in all five probation offices in Seoul, the number of intensive electronic monitoring subjects assigned per staff member exceeded the appropriate number of 10.

In the case of the Seoul Western Probation Office and the Seoul Northern Probation Office, one staff member manages an average of 23 and 22.6 people respectively, which is more than twice the appropriate number. Additionally, except for one Seoul probation office, electronic monitoring departments were not installed.

The electronic monitoring system is a system that attaches a location tracking electronic device (electronic anklet) to criminals with a high risk of recidivism, allowing probation officers to provide close guidance and supervision to prevent reoffending. Electronic monitoring subjects are classified into 1:1 supervision, intensive management supervision, and general management supervision based on risk levels considering crime methods, criminal records, and living conditions.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Justice, the appropriate number of subjects managed per person by type is 1 for 1:1 supervision, 10 for intensive management, and 40 for general management. However, in the case of the Seoul Western Probation Office, staff managing general electronic monitoring subjects also concurrently manage probation for general criminals, effectively managing 108 people per staff member.

According to data from the Legislative Research Office and the Ministry of Justice, the number of electronic monitoring subjects managed per staff member in major OECD countries overseas is within 10, but in Korea, the average number managed per electronic monitoring staff member is around 18, and the need to increase management personnel has been continuously raised since the electronic monitoring system was implemented.

The problem is that with the legislative notice of the "Act on Attachment of Electronic Devices, etc.," which manages people sentenced to imprisonment for stalking as electronic monitoring subjects, the number of subjects each electronic monitoring staff member must manage will increase further.

However, the Ministry of Justice's increase in electronic monitoring staff for next year is zero. According to the 2023 budget proposal submitted by the Ministry of Justice to the National Assembly, no increase in regular staff for electronic monitoring was reflected.

Assembly member Kwon In-sook said, "As of June this year, 3,820 people have been referred to the prosecution for stalking crimes since the enforcement of the Stalking Punishment Act, so the number of subjects managed per electronic monitoring staff member will increase significantly," adding, "If the number of electronic monitoring subjects increases without increasing personnel, there will be gaps in victim protection, and the risk of producing more victims will be high."