The Final Conference of the E-Monitoring Project, entitled “Electronic Monitoring: Present and Future Challenges”, took place on May 9th at the auditorium of the Institute of Social Sciences, University of Minho, Braga. The event brought together dozens of researchers, professionals, and students to reflect on the current state and future directions of electronic monitoring within criminal justice systems.
The opening session featured welcoming remarks from Rafaela Granja, Principal Investigator of the E-Monitoring Project, and Madalena Oliveira, Director of the Communication and Society Research Centre (CECS), the institutional host of the project.
The conference began with presentations by members of the E-Monitoring Scientific Advisory Committee. Kristel Beyens (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) provided an overview of the use of electronic monitoring in Belgium, tracing its historical development and contemporary applications. Her talk critically engaged with the concept of net-widening.
Edna Erez (University of Illinois Chicago) presented research on the experiences of domestic violence victims subjected to two distinct electronic surveillance technologies. Her comparative analysis highlighted variations in women’s perceptions of safety and the implications of different technological approaches for victim protection.
Mike Nellis (University of Strathclyde) addressed the intersections of electronic monitoring and artificial intelligence. He focused in particular on the challenges posed by the Council of Europe’s recent Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)5, which addresses the ethical and organisational implications of deploying AI and digital technologies within prison and probation services.
Ricardo Campello (State University of Campinas / University of São Paulo) discussed the use of electronic monitoring in Brazil, contextualising it within the broader collapse of the country’s penal system. His presentation explored the political and discursive rationales underpinning electronic monitoring policies, as well as the lived realities of individuals navigating urban spaces marked by the presence of militias, criminal gangs, and repressive policing practices.
In the afternoon session, Rafaela Granja, together with team members Andreia Pimentel, Bárbara Seco de Barros, and Sara Rosado, presented the main findings of the E-Monitoring Project, grounded in the lived experiences of monitored individuals. In the context of sanctions and measures monitored by radio-frequency technology, the research identified how employment may serve as both a structuring force and a source of disruption in the lives of monitored individuals. The data also pointed to the persistence of a carceral logic within electronic monitoring practices. Even when framed as an alternative to imprisonment, electronic monitoring often functions as an extension or reconfiguration of the prison system, rather than a rupture with punitive traditions.
Regarding bilateral electronic monitoring – a measure applied exclusively in domestic violence and stalking cases – the findings reveal a complex picture. While institutional discourses emphasise victim protection, empirical analysis indicates a more ambivalent reality, shaped by the tensions between policy intentions and lived experiences.
The conference concluded with a discussion session moderated by Rafaela Granja and Nuno Caiado – also a member of the E-Monitoring Scientific Advisory Committee and former Director of Electronic Monitoring Services in Portugal. This final segment fostered dialogue among participants, enabling a critical and collective reflection on the project’s findings and their broader implications for the future of electronic monitoring.
