Aruba launches pilot program Jul 1. for electronic supervision of young suspects

ORANJESTAD, Aruba--Media reports out of Aruba on Wednesday confirmed that the Openbaar Ministerie Aruba and Stichting Reclassering en Jeugdbescherming Aruba have signed an agreement to launch a pilot program for electronic supervision, commonly known in Aruba as “banchi.”

The pilot, titled “Elektronisch Toezicht bij schorsing van de voorlopige hechtenis,” will focus on young persons between the ages of 12 and 23. It is scheduled to start on July 1, 2026.

According to the reports, the program is intended for specific cases involving young suspects in preventive detention where the detention may be suspended under strict conditions. It will not apply automatically to all young suspects.

Under the pilot, electronic supervision may be used only after advice from Stichting Reclassering en Jeugdbescherming Aruba. The measure is intended to allow eligible young persons to remain in their family environment under supervision, while continuing school, work, treatment, guidance or other structured activities where applicable.

The initiative is being presented as an alternative within the justice system that combines supervision and accountability with opportunities for guidance, reintegration and continued daily structure.

Reports stated that the electronic monitoring arrangement will include conditions set by the authorities and supervision by the reclassering service. The use of the ankle monitor is intended to support compliance with those conditions while allowing authorities to monitor whether the person remains within the agreed framework.

The pilot will be evaluated on February 1, 2027. The evaluation is expected to help determine how the program functions in practice and whether electronic supervision can be used more broadly or adjusted based on the experience gained during the trial period.

The agreement between the Openbaar Ministerie Aruba and Stichting Reclassering en Jeugdbescherming Aruba follows earlier steps by the Government of Aruba to introduce electronic ankle monitoring as part of the justice system.

The pilot involving young suspects between 12 and 23 will now test the use of electronic supervision in a more targeted setting, specifically where pretrial detention is suspended under conditions and where the reclassering service advises that electronic monitoring is appropriate.

The program will be monitored during its initial period, with the February 2027 evaluation expected to provide further insight into its effectiveness, conditions of use and possible future application.

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