Auditors find control weaknesses in JSO ankle-monitoring program; department responding

The Council Auditor's Office reported on July 15 that its audit of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office ankle-monitoring program found several control weaknesses and process gaps, and the sheriff’s office has begun corrective measures.

Why it matters: The ankle-monitoring program is intended to reduce jail time by allowing GPS monitoring for defendants. Problems in enrollment, device issuance and fee collection can undermine public safety, court compliance and financial accountability.

What the auditors found

Council Auditor Kim Taylor told the committee the audit reviewed one year of program activity and roughly 2,100 court orders. Key findings included:

- Inadequate internal controls for identifying individuals to be monitored and verifying that devices were attached when court orders required them; auditors found multiple instances when devices were not attached promptly and at least one case where a released person did not receive a device.

- Excessive system access rights for fee-management and location-monitoring systems, raising confidentiality and tamper risks for GPS boundaries.

- Fee management deficiencies: reminders for delinquent fees were not always sent within the required 14-day window, courts were not always notified after 28 days of delinquency, refunds following order releases were not always issued promptly, and the overall accuracy of fee recording needed improvement.

Taylor said JSO had been responsive to audit findings and had already taken steps to revise policies and procedures and to pursue system changes. She said one operational correction under discussion is locating a JSO attachment station at the courthouse so devices can be attached immediately when judges make an order, instead of sending individuals elsewhere and risking delay.

Questions and follow-up

The committee chair asked about follow-up timing. Taylor said the normal audit follow-up timetable applies: auditors would typically revisit corrective actions within one to two years to confirm system and process changes are in place.

Ending

Taylor emphasized the program’s purpose — reducing incarceration costs by employing monitoring where appropriate — while stressing the need for stronger controls around enrollment, device attachment and fee administration. The auditors will track JSO’s corrective actions and report back on progress.