Tennessee enacts groundbreaking GPS tracking law for violent domestic abusers

In Tennessee, a new legislation mandating GPS tracking of the most violent domestic offenders went into effect on Monday. The first legislation of its sort in the United States was inspired by an unimaginable catastrophe. The first state in the union to pass legislation requiring GPS tracking of the most heinous perpetrators of domestic abuse is Tennessee. The new law, which went into force on Monday, July 1st, 2024, intends to improve victim safety protocols and hold offenders accountable.

Debbie Sisco and her daughter Marie Varsos were shot and killed on April 12, 2021, outside of Nashville by Marie’s estranged husband Shaun Varsos, who subsequently killed himself. After threatening his wife with a gun and strangling her a month prior, Varsos was released on bail. The judge did not order a GPS tracking device as a condition of his bail, even though he was deemed a threat.

Alex Youn, Marie’s brother, successfully pushed for mandatory GPS tracking of aggravated assault offenders in domestic violence cases as a result of this tragic event. The “Debbie and Marie Domestic Violence Protection Act,” a new law in Tennessee, mandates the courts force victims of domestic abuse to wear a GPS tracking device. The gadget must be worn by both convicted and accused offenders until they are no longer a threat to their victim or the public.

How GPS Tracking Enhances Victim Protection

This technology allows victims to be notified when an offender violates an order of protection via an electronic gadget or phone app. When the perpetrator enters the victim’s vicinity or leaves an exclusion zone, such as the victim’s home, alarms are set off. Multiple SMS and emails can be sent to the victim with alarms, and law enforcement can be notified simultaneously by a monitoring center. Every second counts because victims can utilize these notifications to hide or seek assistance.

Concerns regarding abuse potential and civil liberties violations have been voiced by certain commentators. They contend that the law might cause false alarms and give victims a false sense of security.

GPS Tracking as a Lifeline for Domestic Abuse Victims

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one in four women and one in seven men experience domestic abuse. Offenders are more likely to recur in violent situations involving guns, strangling, or intense stalking. For victims, GPS tracking may be the difference between life and death. Alex Youn hopes that other states will take note of Tennessee’s groundbreaking law and safeguard victims of domestic abuse.

You might also be interested in – Madhya Pradesh’s new anti-paper leak law to include 10-years imprisonment and Rs 1cr fine: CM