A comprehensive inspection report has uncovered a multitude of failings within electronic tagging schemes for criminals, raising concerns that the programs are "leaving victims and the public at risk." The joint report by HM Inspectorate of Probation and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary highlighted significant issues with the systems, even as ministers have touted tagging as a key component of community punishments.
According to the report, complexities within the tagging systems make it difficult for probation officers to accurately track which offenders are under monitoring. Police have also expressed concerns that individuals brought to court for breaching tagging requirements, such as curfew violations, are frequently released on the same bail conditions, often repeatedly. Furthermore, the procedures for accessing data from GPS satellite tags, which track offenders' movements, are described as cumbersome, potentially leading to crucial information being overlooked.
These findings emerge as plans are in place to release up to 50,000 criminals annually from jail early, with many others receiving shorter sentences or community orders instead of custody. Ministers have repeatedly asserted that electronic tagging will play a pivotal role in these community-based sanctions.
Martin Jones, the Chief Inspector of Probation, stated that while the tools have the potential to guide offenders away from negative choices, technology alone is insufficient. He noted that many weaknesses identified in 2022 persist, with monitoring data not always well understood or effectively utilized. He stressed the need for the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service to simplify processes, improve data quality, and equip practitioners with the skills to use the technology effectively, especially as electronic monitoring use expands under the Sentencing Act 2026.
Michelle Skeer, Chief Inspector of Constabulary, added that cases were found where decisions regarding risks to victims and the public were not clearly documented. She indicated that police forces often lacked the information to comprehend the scale of demand placed upon them by tagging breaches. "Every breach notification can have consequences for victim safety and public protection," Skeer stated, emphasizing the need for clearer guidance, better recording, and stronger scrutiny arrangements for consistent and rigorous responses.
Figures released in July revealed that approximately one in seven offenders handed a tagging order in England and Wales had not been fitted with a device. The report, which made 30 recommendations for improvement, detailed that significant manual effort is still required to reconcile data and determine basic operational facts, such as who is being monitored and why monitoring has not commenced. It also noted instances where details of offenders breaching tagging orders were sent to the wrong police force for follow-up, meaning the receiving force lacked victim information.
A tagged offender recounted their experience, describing the system as a "pointless, ticking box exercise" where their movements were never monitored. Victims' Commissioner Claire Waxman warned that electronic monitoring alone cannot guarantee public protection and that without robust monitoring, effective enforcement, and swift responses to breaches, there is a risk of providing victims with a false sense of security.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice acknowledged that the system inherited was in crisis but stated that the government is taking necessary steps to fix it, including expanding electronic monitoring. The spokesperson asserted that tagging is effective in reducing reoffending and enhancing public safety and that efforts are underway to support frontline staff and recruit more probation officers as new technology is rolled out.