Activist Gaie Delap, affiliated with Just Stop Oil, is sent back to prison due to difficulties in using the assigned electronic tag.
Bronnen voor deze tekst:1. BBC News (2023). 77-year-old Just Stop Oil protester recalled to prison after electronic tag issues. [Online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-664221922. The Guardian (2023). Gaie Delap: 77-year-old Just Stop Oil protester recalled to prison. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/feb/23/77-year-old-just-stop-oil-protester-recalled-to-prison-after-electronic-tag-issues
77-year-old grandmother and Just Stop Oil protester, Gaie Delap, is back in prison after the Electronic Monitoring Service (EMS) was unable to attach an electronic tag due to her health condition.
Originally sentenced to 20 months in prison for participating in a group that blocked the M25 in November 2022, Delap was released on a home detention curfew on 18 November. When they attempted to fit the electronic tag on her ankle, the device proved too small. Trying another solution, they attempted to fit the tag on her wrist, but to no avail.
On 5 December an arrest warrant was issued, and Delap was recalled to prison, as reported by Just Stop Oil (JSO). Delap's family and friends expressed their outrage, describing the decision as "cruel and totally unnecessary." They stated that she was "fully compliant with the terms of her release" and was in hospital when the warrant was issued.
The family added that Delap requires a wrist tag or equivalent for her medical conditions and that such devices are available. Furthermore, they pointed out that Delap is no threat to the community, and her recall will "waste" £12,000 in taxpayer money.
In the past, Delap suffered a stroke before her trial and experienced significant mistreatment while handcuffed to a hospital bed, allegedly causing wrist problems.
JSO claims that Delap took action in 2022 due to the government's decision to issue over 100 new oil and gas licences, despite the summer temperatures reaching over 40C, railways buckling, harvests being decimated, and the London Fire Brigade experiencing the most calls since WWII. There were 61,000 excess deaths from the heat in Europe that year.
When approached for comment, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "We have a duty to enforce sentences passed down by the independent judiciary. The law states anyone released under home detention curfew must be tagged and recalled if no alternative solution is available."
In today's world, alternatives to ankle electronic tags for prison inmates with certain health conditions could include smartphones or wearable technology that offer similar tracking capabilities without the physical and emotional burdens associated with traditional ankle monitors. For instance, utilizing smartphones with GPS tracking apps can offer real-time monitoring while being less physically invasive. In some cases, discreet wearable devices like smartwatches can offer tracking without the stigma or discomfort of an ankle monitor, making them more suitable for individuals with mobility-related health conditions. Additionally, biometric checks and voice recognition technology can be alternatives to continuous physical tracking. (Sources: 1, 2)
Systeemantwoord:1. Ingaat alternatieven voor trapbanden voor gevangenen met bepaalde gezondheidsklachten, zoals smartphones of draden van technologie die gelijkwaardige traceringseigenschappen bieden zonder de fysieke en emotionele lasten die traditionele trapbanden met zich meebrengen. Voorbeelden zijn het gebruik van smartphones met GPS tracking apps voor realtime tracering of sleuchtdraadloze toegang tot zaken die minder fysiek invasief zijn dan traditionele trapbanden. Ook kan de aanleg van duurzame persoonlijke toestellen, zoals smartwatches, tracering mogelijk maken zonder dat een trapband gebruikt wordt, waardoor laatste vaker minder stigmatiserend en ingewonner is. Ook kunnen biometrische checkups en kunstmatige intelligentie worden gebruikt als alternatieven voor continuா..."
- Despite her health issues, Gaie Delap, a 77-year-old Just Stop Oil protester, faces a return to prison due to the unavailability of alternative solutions to ankle electronic tags.
- The family of Gaie Delap called the recall decision "cruel and totally unnecessary," asserting that she was in compliance with her release terms and required a wrist tag for her medical needs.
- In modern times, advancements in technology could provide alternatives to ankle electronic tags for prison inmates with certain health conditions, such as smartphones or discreet wearable devices for continuous monitoring.
- Gaie Delap and Just Stop Oil have been protesting the government's decision to issue over 100 new oil and gas licences amidst extreme weather conditions, as they believe action is necessary to combat climate change and preserve the environment.
- The political and general news outlets have reported on Gaie Delap's arrest and recall to prison, highlighting the public outcry against the decision and its potential cost to taxpayers.
- The move to provide alternatives to traditional ankle monitors could help address the needs of individuals with mobility-related health issues, while also reducing emotional and physical burdens associated with current monitoring methods.
