Release conditions
Electronic Monitoring (Ankle Monitors) as a Condition of Release
An ankle monitor is a condition a court imposes — not a bail product, and not something a bail bond replaces.
Families hear “ankle monitor” and assume it is either an alternative to bail or something a bail company arranges. It is neither, exactly. Electronic monitoring is a condition a court can impose on release — sometimes alongside bail, sometimes instead of it. American Freedom Bail Bonds does not provide monitoring equipment.
Where it comes from
A court setting release conditions can require monitoring, and Penal Code 1203.018 authorises counties to operate electronic monitoring programmes for eligible people held in custody pending trial, in lieu of bail, subject to the programme’s criteria. In practice monitoring appears in three ways:
- As a condition of OR or supervised release — see own recognizance release.
- Alongside a bail amount, where the court wants both security and supervision.
- Through a county pretrial programme, where the person meets its eligibility rules.
What it usually involves
| Location tracking | GPS monitoring of movements, often with defined exclusion zones — for example around a protected person under a protective order. |
| Home confinement | Required presence at home during set hours, with approved exceptions such as work or court. |
| Alcohol monitoring | Some devices monitor alcohol use, which comes up in repeat DUI cases. |
| Cost | Depending on the programme, the defendant may be charged fees. Ask before assuming it is free. |
Violations
Tampering with a device, missing a charge, or entering an exclusion zone is a breach of a release condition. It can lead to the person being returned to custody and to bail being increased or release revoked — see bail revocation. Where a bond is in place, the co-signer should know the conditions as well as the defendant does.
What it does not do
Monitoring does not resolve a separate hold or another case — see holds and multiple cases. And agreeing to monitoring is a matter to raise through a criminal defence lawyer at a hearing, not at a jail counter.
Where they are, and what happens next
ProcessHow Long Release TakesWhat controls the clock once the money is in, and why releases stall.Read more
LawHow Bail Schedules WorkPC 1269b, 1269c and 1289 — who sets an amount and who can change it.Read more
ReferenceWhat Kind of Jail Is Holding Them24-hour Temporary Holding versus 96-hour Type I, and why it matters tonight.Read more
Local guides: Anaheim, Brea, La Habra, Fullerton, Buena Park, Yorba Linda and Tustin, plus our Orange County and Los Angeles County guides.
Please note: American Freedom Bail Bonds is a licensed bail bond agency, not a law firm. Nothing on this page is legal advice, and we cannot predict how any case will be charged or resolved. Statutes and local court practice change — confirm current details with the court, the facility, or a criminal defence lawyer. California bail license 1841014.
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