In a time in which cities need to trim costs, Sumner is looking to save money by changing the way some misdemeanor offenders are sentenced.

Interim City Administrator Diane Supler said Sumner judges will soon have the option of sentencing some defendants to wear a monitoring device in lieu of being incarcerated.

“It isn’t for any of the offenses which are prosecuted by Pierce County which are felonies,” she said.

It costs Sumner $65 a day to incarcerate someone, but electronic home monitoring costs $17 each day. Sumner also saves money by having the defendant pay a portion of the cost if they can afford it. Because sentencing is on

“At this pont we don’t have an exact dollar amount,” Supler said.

The judge may decide to have the defendant wear the monitoring device before sentencing or to serve the sentence out of an institution.

Monitoring is viewed by some as a more sensible punishment for small offenses including driving with a suspended license, Supler said.

“So this really provides an opportunity to balance out the offense,” she said.

The device isn’t limited to home monitoring, but can track defendants, so they man continue working in some cases.