n the mid-1990's, faced with shrinking budgets and cuts in staffing, the city began installing a series of kiosks to manage the lowest -risk offenders on probation, expanded to include all low-risk probationers in 2003. ( High-risk probationers and sex offenders are sitll required to deal with officers directly.) The kiosks, which resemble ATMs, ask offenders to scan their hands and repond to some basic questions about their residence, job and contact with police. The process takes about three minutes. A computer randomly selects users for drug testing, conducted in a small anterroom. "It frees up officers to focus on the more dangerous people. The computers also allow officers to track probationer's movements through the computerized self-reporting system, matching crime rates to probationer residency patterns and helping police focus resources. Statistics show that some probationers with petty crimes are less likely to commit another crime if their contact with probation officers is minimal...Offender using a probation automated monitoring (PAM) kiosk - The City of New York - Department of Probation - 346 Broadway - 9th floor - NYC
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