How home detention works in Maryland.

Home detention is a court-ordered alternative to incarceration. It allows a person to remain in their residence — and continue working, attending school, and supporting their family — under continuous electronic supervision. Here's what the process looks like, start to finish.

What is home detention?

Home detention (also called electronic monitoring, house arrest, or supervised release) is a structured form of supervision ordered by a court in lieu of jail or prison. The person remains in their approved residence at all times, except for activities pre-authorized by the court — typically work, school, medical appointments, court-ordered treatment, and religious services.

Compliance is monitored 24 hours a day using GPS-enabled ankle devices, alcohol-detection bracelets, drug testing, or a combination of these tools depending on the case. As a private monitoring provider licensed by the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS), our role is to install the equipment, supervise compliance, and report accurately to the court.

When home detention is appropriate

Home detention can be ordered at multiple stages of a case:

  • Pre-trial release — as a condition of bail, often for individuals who would otherwise be held in jail awaiting trial.

  • Sentence — as a stand-alone sentence or as part of a split sentence (a portion of the term served at home).

  • Probation condition — as a condition of probation, often paired with treatment requirements.

  • Probation violation — as an alternative to revocation when a probationer has violated terms but is not assessed as a flight or safety risk.

  • Conditional release — for individuals being released from incarceration with monitoring requirements.

The decision is the court's. Our acceptance letter confirms only that we have capacity to monitor the case and that the proposed residence meets the basic technical requirements (cellular signal, electrical service, etc.).

From first call to program completion.

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    Inquiry & intake

    Family members, attorneys, or the participant themselves call our office. We collect basic case information: charge, court, jurisdiction, hearing date, and proposed residence. Most intake calls take 10–15 minutes.

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    Acceptance review

    We verify the residence is technically suitable, and issue a formal acceptance letter on letterhead.

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    Equipment installation

    Once the court orders home detention, we schedule an appointment. The participant and a family member receive a full orientation on device care, schedule rules, and how to remain in contact with our team members.

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    Active monitoring & completion

    Sentry staff handle day-to-day supervision: schedule changes, equipment questions, court reports. At the end of the term, the device is removed and a completion report is filed with the court.

What participants and families should expect

Daily life on the program

Most participants describe the first week as the adjustment period. After that, the routine becomes familiar. The device is worn at all times — it's discreet under clothing. Battery charging is required daily, typically for an hour or two while the participant is at home and not moving (charging while watching TV is common).

Travel outside the residence follows the schedule the court approved. Common authorized activities include:

  • Employment, including overtime and shift changes (with prior approval)

  • School and educational programs

  • Medical, dental, and mental health appointments

  • Court-ordered treatment, counseling, and support groups

  • Religious services

  • Court appearances and meetings with counsel

  • Pre-approved family responsibilities (childcare drop-off, grocery shopping, etc., where the court permits)

Schedule changes

Schedules adjust as life adjusts. New job, new shift, doctor's appointment, family emergency — case managers process most schedule modifications within one business day. Emergency changes (a same-day medical issue, for example) are handled immediately by phone.

How violations are handled

  • 24-hour monitoring and verification. Sentry’s monitoring center receives alerts in real time and reviews each event as it occurs.

  • Direct participant contact. Participants are contacted promptly to address, verify, or resolve alerts.

  • Escalation. Verified concerns are escalated to law enforcement and the courts in accordance with the court’s order.