Every step you take, every move you make…

The rock group The Police have a number of songs that might effectively describe the modern trend of requiring GPS tracking of sex offenders: not only is Every Breath You Take a fitting theme song for these developments, so too might be Can’t Stand Losing You or even Don’t Stand So Close to Me.  And, of course, the band’s very name is on-point.

This musical interlude is inspired by this recent USA Today article, which effectively explores the “rapidly rising number of states using GPS to monitor convicted sex offenders.”  Here’s a snippet:

“In the last several months, it’s been exponential growth,” says Steve Chapin, president of Pro-Tech, a Florida-based firm that provides GPS services to 27 statewide agencies.  He says his business has doubled in the past three months.

As of January, 13 states had laws requiring or allowing GPS tracking, says the National Conference of State Legislatures.  Aside from Wisconsin, governors in at least six states (Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Virginia, Washington and Michigan) have signed such bills this year.  New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch plans to do so soon.  Similar bills are pending elsewhere.  “It’s the law you can’t vote against,” says Chapin.

And, as detailed in this AP article, Rhode Island seems on the way toward joining the long list of states turning to GPS to track sex offenders.