https://doi.org/10.1177/2066220317704132 European Journal of Probation 2017, Vol. 9(1) 11–27 © The Author(s) 2017 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/2066220317704132 journals.sagepub.com/home/ejp Electronic monitoring and reintegration in Belgium Kristel Beyens Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Research Group Crime & Society (CRiS), Belgium Marijke Roosen Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Research Group Crime & Society (CRiS), Belgium Abstract Electronic monitoring (EM) was introduced to Belgium in the late 1990s and ever since its use has been changing and expanding. The objectives and political discourse driving the introduction and expansion of EM have varied between encouraging (re) integration, solving the prison overcrowding and increasing the credibility of prison sentence execution. This article describes the evolution of EM and focuses on the shift from the EM-practice of balancing technical control and supervision towards the ever more expanding EM-use prioritising technical control. Where EM was formerly an individualised integrated measure in a broader rehabilitative framework, its use for a large number of prisoners has evolved towards the use of EM as a stand-alone measure. As such, we are witnessing a shift from ‘active’ to ‘passive’ reintegration for the majority of those being subjected to EM. Keywords Belgium, electronic monitoring, prison overcrowding, reintegration, stand-alone penalty Introduction Electronic monitoring (EM) was introduced to Belgium as a pilot program in the prison of Sint-Gillis in 1998 and was rolled out nationwide in 2000. This article argues for an under- standing of the evolution of EM in Belgium through the context of a rising prison popula- tion and consequently prison overcrowding. The number of monitored persons has increased steadily by easing the eligibility criteria, 1 and subsequently introducing EM at all Corresponding author: Kristel Beyens, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Criminology, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussel, Belgium. Email: Kristel.Beyens@vub.ac.be 704132EJP 0 0 10.1177/2066220317704132European Journal of ProbationBeyens and Roosen 2017 Article