Released murderers to get ankle monitoring devices

After strapping electronic monitoring anklets on almost 7,000 sex offenders, the government will clamp them on convicted murderers, too.

Starting today, murderers released from jail will be cuffed with electronic monitoring devices to try to prevent them from killing again.

“Murderers have been added because repeat offenses by these criminals have not been few,” said a statement released from the Justice Ministry. The repeat offense rate for murderers was estimated by the Justice Ministry to be 10.2 percent from 2005 to 2008.

There are 499 convicted murderers set to be released from jail over the next six months.

The original electronic anklet law from September 2008 only applied to sex offenders and child kidnappers. That law was amended by the National Assembly on March 31, and starting today, 6,916 convicted sex offenders will be cuffed. They include criminals who got out of jail in the past. The cuffing of murderers is only for convicts released from prison after today.

The ministry said there was a 15.9 percent increase in murders from 1998 to 2008.

Murderers and sex offenders can be sentenced to a maximum 30 years with the anklet, triple the original law’s maximum.

The ministry is also planning to reinforce the anklet straps - currently made of urethane - with steel springs.

Criminals with electronic anklets will also be subject to police visits. Under the old law, authorities could only track their locations. They will also be required to go to counseling sessions at least twice a week.

By Christine Kim [christine.kim@joongang.co.kr]