HONOLULU — Courts across Hawaii could soon require repeat drunken driving offenders to wear alcohol-monitoring ankle bracelets.
In 2017, the state Legislature approved use of alcohol monitoring devices for habitual offenders.
The device has already been in use in one Honolulu court for about four years.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported the Honolulu First Deputy Prosecutor Chasid Sapolu said at a news conference that the monitoring device would help deter drunk driving and keep people safe.
The device reads perspiration to determine whether the wearer is consuming alcohol.
According to the manufacturer, the device transmits information to a call center where agents review the readings and differentiate between environmental and consumed alcohol.
If alcohol is detected, a notification is sent to a court official. The technology also detects tampering by the person wearing it.