When pretrial inmates are released on bail, many victims find themselves fearing for their lives. Electronic monitoring could provide a measure of security, but it's only widely used in only a couple of counties in Maine.8 Investigates contacted every sheriff's department in Maine and found that electronic monitoring is only available for pre-trial inmates in nine counties. In most of those counties, it's used sparingly. View an interactive map below. Are you having trouble seeing the map? Click here if you're using our app.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Two fathers who lost their daughters to domestic violence homicide are demanding change. "Even the first time when they bailed him out, he should have had the monitor," said Ralph Bagley, whose daughter Amy Lake was murdered in 2010. "Of course, it wasn't in effect then."Lake's ex-husband killed her and their two children, Monica and Coty, while out on bail. Bagley's since made it his mission to advocate for electronic monitoring and he's found company in Vance Ginn."If we had an ankle bracelet system in our county, maybe she would have done something knowing that she really had protection," said Ginn.His daughter Stephanie Ginn Gebo was killed by her ex-boyfriend in 2015. She hadn't pressed charges against him because she didn't trust that the system could protect her. Electronic monitoring isn't perfect, but it can be helpful, allowing inmates to re-enter society while awaiting trial and providing victims with an extra layer of protection by giving police officers more lead time. "Without the electronic monitoring, we wouldn't know that there was even an issue," said Aroostook County Sheriff Peter Johnson. His county uses monitoring more than anywhere else in Maine, averaging 35 users a week, helping keep the jail below capacity."It gives you that in-between for individuals that are justice-involved, that don't necessarily fit within the correctional setting," said Johnson. "Victims have reported feeling much more safe knowing that the person who harmed them is on an electronic monitoring program," said Cumberland County Violence Intervention Partnership director Jennifer Annis.Usage across the nine counties varies. 8 Investigates' point-in-time survey found that usage ranged from 0 to 40 people on electronic monitoring at one time, raising questions about whether it's being fully utilized. Some judges may be confused about monitoring availability. View an interactive map below. Are you having trouble seeing the map? Click here if you're using our app.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 "If it was the same program across statewide and that judges were familiar and they knew exactly what to expect in every county that they might have presided over, it might be more efficiently utilized," said Annis. Counties that don't use monitoring say bad cell reception and tight staffing make GPS monitoring challenging. Many sheriffs say it's too expensive. "It costs something, but not as much as some programs that we involve ourselves in," said Ginn. "The state is supposed to protect its people and they're not. It’s worth whatever it takes."The local cost for counties with monitoring ranges from $3,000 to $19,772 annually. "If we could get this ankle bracelet through the state, through the works of people who have lost loved ones to domestic violence or murder, we can rejoice," said Ginn. "Look at the legacy it would be. Maybe no one else will lose somebody."Bagley agrees, "There's no doubt in my mind that if that monitor system had been in effect that day, they would have been here right now."Even with electronic monitoring, victims can still be at risk. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call 1-866-834-HELP to be connected with local resources.