Ankle monitor wearers detained due to software failure

A software failure affecting ankle monitors resulted in hundreds of people on house arrest across the Netherlands falling of the radar from Thursday to Friday morning. A number of them were taken into custody as a preventative measure, the Ministry of Justice and Security said, NOS reports.

Immediate action was taken after the failure became known, a spokesperson for the Ministry said to the broadcaster. The Ministry looked at each ankle monitor-wearer to determine whether measures had to be taken, such as preventive custody. Victims and their relatives were also informed as quickly as possible.

The system is now back up and running. "We are working hard to get it 100 percent stable again", the Ministry said.

An electronic ankle monitor is used to make sure that people who are released under certain conditions adhere to their location restrictions. This can range from house arrest to being banned from entering a certain area.