This topic outlines how to conduct enquiries into the suitability of the proposed residence.
Purpose
Probation officers must investigate and confirm the suitability of the residence for placement of the offender on HD/CD/residential restrictions (RR).
Note: With CD, the curfew address is not necessarily the offender's residential address. This differs from HD and RR, where the offender lives at the residence.
Suitability of the residence must be assessed in two ways:
- Is the residence suitable for an offender on HD/CD/RR to live or remain in?
- Is the residence suitable for electronic monitoring?
For more information about address suitability for child sex offenders see Extended Supervision Special Conditions Report, topic Child Sex Offenders, Determining Address Suitability.
Assessing the residence (part 1)
Firstly, you must ascertain whether the residence is suitable for an offender on HD/CD/RR to live or remain in.
To do this, visit the proposed residence and carry out an assessment using the following list of considerations.
Considerations:
- What is the address? (Give a description of the residence and property, e.g. house, apartment, caravan, sleep out, fenced outdoor area.)
- Is the offender proposing to move into a Housing New Zealand property (not as a tenant for more than three months to serve their sentence or order? If so, the tenant of the property will need to obtain permission from Housing New Zealand for the offender to reside at the address.
- Will the offender have their own bedroom? (If CD/RR this may be dependent on the time of the curfews.)
- Does the property have running water, electricity and adequate heating?
- Are there any significant health or safety problems identified?
- With HD/RR, is the residence of the type where a person could reasonably live for a period of time without leaving? (If it is not, e.g. a caravan, the residence is deemed unsuitable.)
- Is the proposed accommodation rented or leased? If so, ascertain the length of the rental period/lease. Request that the occupants confirm that there is nothing in their lease/rental agreement that may preclude the offender from being at the address while subject to HD/CD/RR.
- What is the location of the residence in relation to support services, major shopping centres, and public transport? (Not relevant for CD.)
- Is there any other information relevant to the residence that may present a risk in terms of the successful completion of HD/CD/RR? (e.g. schools, hotels, proximity to victim)
- Are there any access issues? (e.g. presence of aggressive/ uncontrolled dogs).
Assessing the residence (part 2)
Secondly, you must ascertain whether the residence is suitable for electronic monitoring.
To do this visit the proposed residence and carry out an assessment using:
- the following list of considerations, and
- the Electronic Monitoring Address Checklist (EM01).
Considerations:
- For HD/full RR - is the residence accessible at all times? (e.g. locked gates, dogs, dark remote properties)
- For HD/full RR - does the weather affect accessibility? (e.g. effects of snow or rain, rural locations)
- Is there anything at or surrounding the address that could interfere with the monitoring equipment?
- What is the proximity of the residence in relation to nearby properties (e.g. how many other properties either share its driveway or site)? This is highly relevant in built-up residential housing areas and residences with shared living areas. It could have an impact on boundary issues.
- Does the residence have strong Vodafone cellular coverage? (i.e. check that there are more than four 'signal bars' on the mobile phone display)
If recommending community detention or if the proposed HD/RR connection date is before the 2 November 2009, consider:
- Are cellular systems or a landline required? If the residence will require a landline, will be necessary for Telecom to undertake a site inspection to ascertain the cost and timeframes? (See HD or CD specific instructions to outline this process)
- If there is no landline, how will the offender be monitored until one is available, if required? (This will be important to note in the appendix.)
If recommending HD or RR to be connected and there is not full signal strength then note the signal strength on the connection form.
Pre-installation check
A pre installation check involves visting the proposed residence to test whether electronic monitoring equipment can operate effectively at the location.
If recommending HD or RR and there is not full signal strength then note the signal strength on the connection form.
Where possible provide G4S at least 14 working days before the possible installation date to investigate the use of monitoring units (eg, landlines) if there is not full cellular coverage. G4S may use this information to conduct a pre-installation check.
For CD, this will be done by CPPS staff. Contact the CPPS staff member trained in CD-EM, and organise a second visit to the site to test the equipment.
If the residence can not be assessed
It is important to make every attempt to contact the occupants and assess the residence. However, there will be times where the probation officer is unable to make contact.
Timeframes may dictate how many attempts can be made. If the occupants can't be contacted within the timeframes, consideration should be given to asking the court for another remand.
