Did you get in trouble that led to wearing an Ankle Monitor? We understand the situation can be tough.
People who wear Ankle Monitors often tend to focus on the negative things about it. We get it. Having a bulky plastic object on an ankle 24/7 is extremely annoying, and trying to hide when going out to public is a struggle in itself. To make matter worse there may be other restrictions that come with the device, such as curfew and alcohol monitoring.
Wearing an Ankle Monitor may feel like the worst thing ever, but that is not true. What can impact is the stress and depression caused by paying too much attention to the negative side of the situation.
The power of understanding the positive side
Turns out there are a lot of great things that can be considered in a situation of wearing an Ankle Monitor.
Knowing how wearing an Ankle Monitor can help you improve your life will make a huge difference in the overall experience. Seeing the bright side can reduce anxiety and worry, which is what we ultimately want.
An Ankle Monitor is just a technology tool granted by the court. The intention is not to torture you or make you feel miserable, but to help you. In the end, it is up to you if you want the experience to influence you in a good way or a bad way.
What we believe is, understanding the bright side can help you adapt to the challenges in a way that works to your advantage. With the right mindset, it is possible to get through the experience stronger than when started.
We collected positive stories shared by people who through their experience of wearing Ankle Monitors. Let's take a look at what we can learn from each other.
1. Your accountability is raising every day
If you were wearing an Ankle Monitor, it doesn't mean that the court doesn't trust you. What this means is that the court acknowledged you as a person who has reasonable accountability considering your legal situation.
In another word, the court has decided to trust you and give you the option to choose between having supervised freedom or being in custody.
While the device on your ankle may feel uncomfortable, what it represents is the trust relationship between you and the justice system. Of course, if you remove the monitor the trust is broken and you will have consequences. On the other hand, as long as you keep wearing the device the stronger you show accountability to your judge.
This is known as "Good Behavior". Our justice system favor people who can follow orders, and having a record of good behavior can influence a judge's decisions in many ways.
2. Your judge might consider removing your Ankle Monitor as a favor
Let's say you decided that you want to legally remove your Ankle Monitor early. This can be initiated by submitting a motion request to the court. If the judge accepted your motion request, congratulation! you are allowed to take off your Ankle Monitor.
However, in a situation where you are facing criminal charges, removing your Ankle Monitor may not entirely be a good thing for you.
The outcome of criminal cases is decided by the judge. Therefore, if you want to receive a fair judgment, you want to maintain a fair relationship with your judge.
While this is entirely up to the judge, some judges may consider granting requests as a favor. It might make it easier for your judge to give you a harsher punishment.
From the judge's perspective, there is a reason for assigning an Ankle Monitor for certain terms. Entirely following the judge's decision can result positively in many cases.
3. Keeps you out of false accusation troubles
The core concept of wearing an Ankle Monitor is you are being monitored. The type of monitoring can be different base on cases, but usually, it's one of the following.
- Location or GPS Monitor
- Alcohol Monitor
- Conversation Monitor
- Mixture of above
In any case, being monitored can sometimes work as an advantage for you to not be involved with outside troubles.
For example, let's say a person is under a locational monitor because of a restriction order from a domestic violence charge. After several weeks the court grant to remove Ankle Monitor. While no longer being monitored may sound great, it also introduces vulnerability to any false accusation claimed by the victim.
The flip side of being monitored is being protected from certain unwanted circumstances. The data evidence helps you prove that you are not a suspect in unrelated events.
4. Reminder to focus on what is best for you
Being under Ankle Monitor restrictions may feel like rock bottom. Lack of freedom, uncertain future, and constant physical distraction may all lead to causing anxiety. However, there is a different perspective on this.
Many people who have experienced wearing an Ankle Monitor considered the harsh situation as a wake-up call to turn around life for the better.
Statistics show that people under extreme conditions have a higher chance of growth than those who are stagnant.
Once you realize it is time to make improvements, challenges become an opportunity to step toward your goal. Try acknowledging your Ankle Monitor's touch as a gentle reminder to focus on your life essentials.
5. Opportunity to break through addiction
Wearing an Ankle Monitor because of a problem caused by alcoholic habits is a great chance to break through addiction.
Many alcoholics who struggle to quit drinking require help from others. If fortunate their loved ones or family may be able to give the necessary attention and support, but many people are not in such circumstances.
Putting on an alcohol monitoring or a SCRUM bracelet have the potential to dramatically improve one's life. By continuously monitoring and setting accountable expectations, statistics show a 99.3% success rate to keep users away from drinking alcohol.
This showcases that it is a misconception to believe alcoholic addiction cannot be cured.
6. Take advantage of the challenges and adopt with new habits
Having a disciplined lifestyle is key to many success. Scheduled morning and night routines can maximize your day, proper eating will shape your health, and work dedication can save a lot of money.
Although we all try to be successful, being disciplined can sometimes be difficult, especially when facing legal challenges. Stress and worry often cause distractions to our daily goals.
Depending on the case, wearing an Ankle Monitor may associate with some restrictions. While restrictions can be challenging, it is possible to adopt and take advantage of them for your improvements.
Curfew
Challenge
- Be at home during the set schedule.
Adaptation
- Wake up and sleep early to maximize the day.
- Set routines to take care of outdoor chores.
- Be out of potential troubles from nightlife.
- Spend more time on in-house activities.
Alcohol Monitoring
Challenge
- Not allowed to drink alcohol.
Adaptation
- Overcome alcohol and substance dependencies.
- Allocate time spent on drinking to family, friends, and personal goals.
- Embrace a healthy lifestyle.
- Positively influence people who are trying to stop drinking.
- Save money.
Location Monitoring
Challenge
- Not allowed to travel out of the country/state/county or go to certain places.
Adaptation
- Get to know more about your local cities.
- Focus on home improvements.
- Explore nearby hiking routes and national parks.
- Learn new hobbies suitable at home.
Job Maintenance
Challenge
- Require to keep a job.
Adaptation
- Focus on making more money.
- Work hard and live hard.
- Grow your career to a higher level.
- Earn certifications related to the profession.
- Practice soft skills and good relationships with co-workers.
7. Keeps you out of jail
All these reasons are nice, but the greatest benefit you get from wearing an Ankle Monitor is freedom.
Many people think Ankle Monitor is a tool for restriction. This is a misconception. The truth is, it is a tool to help you be free from incarceration.
Most people wear an Ankle Monitor because of being involved with some legal trouble. For example, it can be a restriction order, driving under influence, or even immigration violations.
In the old days, the court simply threw criminals into jail to make sure they will not cause any further crimes or run away. Although this may work for a smaller population, quickly the cost of maintaining the facilities got expensive for both the court and the citizens.
The solution to minimizing the maintenance cost is to use Ankle Monitor as an abstract monitoring system. The tool allows the government to place an automated, cost-effective way to make sure people are following their orders.
If Ankle Monitor didn't exist or if the court decided not to use such a monitoring system, the only choice for people facing criminal charges will be to be in custody. The reality is, like any other technological innovation, we invented Ankle Monitor to help people with legal challenges to have a more reasonable way to follow the rules while being free.
So how can having an Ankle Monitor be great?
People who wear an Ankle Monitor think too much about the downside and do not consider the upside. There are ways to adapt and change perspectives toward your advantage.
With the right attitude, it's possible to make life improvements such as overcoming addictions and showing good behavior to the judge. The goal is to focus on the benefits to have a better experience and come out stronger than started.