The justice system is confusing. Do you have questions about policing, the jail and prison system, and the courts in Cuyahoga County? The Marshall Project – Cleveland Team.

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GPS devices or electronic ankle bracelets can save people from prison, but they come at a cost. A reader asked about the cost of GPS monitoring of prisoners on remand or parole.

Who pays the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court fee?

GPS monitoring is often used as a bail condition while a person’s case is pending. People on probation or parole may also be monitored via GPS as a condition of their release to ensure they are following the rules of their probation.

In 2020, the ACLU of Ohio called for reform of GPS monitoring in Cuyahoga County, citing the exorbitant costs for defendants, many of whom had not been convicted of a crime. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court required defendants to pay $56 per week for ankle monitors.

That changed in 2021, according to Darren Toms, the court’s spokesman. He said the court reduced GPS fees from $8 per day to $3.20 per day, with a cap of $576.

However, the court does not deny people the opportunity to be exempt from GPS monitoring just because they cannot afford the cost, Toms said.

Under the new guidelines, fees will not be charged until a person’s criminal case is decided. If the person is found not guilty or the case is dismissed, the fees are automatically waived. If the person is convicted and sent to prison, no fees will be charged.

If the person is released on probation, fees may apply. Their attorney can ask the trial judge to waive the fee. Typically, the fee is waived if the defendant cannot pay it, Toms said.

If a fee is due after a conviction, the person may perform community service at a rate of $15 per hour to cover the costs.