Eighteen criminals are currently on the run, after giving their electronic monitoring bracelet the slip.

The system has recently come under scrutiny, with two high-profile breaches by child sex offenders.

Now Corrections' national commissioner Jeremy Lightfoot admits there are 18 offenders who are supposed to be monitored, but who are currently, quote, "unaccounted for."

He said all of the cases have been referred to the police.

The Police Association thinks something needs to change.

Association president Greg O'Connor said when a bracelet goes off, private companies go to the property to check the situation - before alerting police.

'The option I guess is for Corrections themselves to be monitoring. Or Police to be monitoring - someone is going to have to be 24 hours a day otherwise there is no point having them."