Harris County officials announced on Monday big changes to the county's electronic ankle-monitoring programme, moving it to round-the-clock, 24/7 operations and strengthening protections for survivors of domestic violence, KPRC 2 Click2Houston reported.

Source: KPRC 2 Click2Houston

The change is aimed at a simple gap that critics had flagged for months: what happens if someone cuts off their ankle monitor at 2 a.m.? Earlier reporting on the programme noted that a device removed on a Friday might not be reported as a violation until Monday, a delay Crime Stoppers of Houston's Andy Kahan had criticised, saying the court could take days to even learn of a violation.

Source: NewsRadio 740 KTRH

MercadoNews reported that the county has allocated $1.5 million (yaani about 15 lakh dollars) to expand the oversight effort, funding 15 new positions dedicated to monitoring ankle alerts around the clock, with staff working in shifts so alerts are acted on in real time rather than the next working day.

Source: MercadoNews

More than 10,000 defendants in Harris County were on a GPS or curfew-based electronic monitoring device in 2024, according to figures from Harris County Pretrial Services cited in earlier reporting, and the number placed on monitoring more than doubled between 2021 and 2024 — which is why an unanswered overnight alert matters at this scale.

County officials stress the expansion is not only about catching people who cut off monitors, but about preventing crime and keeping defendants accountable while they await trial, balancing the rights of defendants with community safety. FOX 26 Houston also reported the move to 24/7 surveillance of ankle monitors on Monday evening.