Report Finds Electronic Tagging Delays Put Victims at Risk

Delays in fitting electronic tags on offenders are creating a "false sense of assurance" for victims and leading to breaches of court orders, according to an early report briefing. Nearly half of the ankle tags used to track criminals' movements are not fitted in a timely manner, with some delays extending up to five months.

These delays have resulted in repeated breaches of curfews and conditions imposed by court and prison orders. An inspection examining 180 individuals under electronic monitoring found that only 55% of location-monitoring ankle tags and 60% of alcohol-monitoring tags were fitted promptly.

Alcohol tags, which monitor sweat for ethanol levels every 30 minutes, are designed for offenders whose crimes are linked to alcohol consumption. The report also highlighted that authorities are not fully utilizing the data from these tags, with major violations being addressed in only 46% of relevant cases. Furthermore, investigators found little evidence that electronic monitoring is consistently used to encourage positive behavior change, such as reducing reoffending.

Martin Jones, chief inspector of probation for England and Wales, warned that "expanding tagging programmes without addressing their weaknesses risks overpromising and underdelivering on public protection." He added that the technology is falling short of its potential, stating, "The findings of our inspection are clear: electronic monitoring is expanding rapidly, but the systems, processes and frontline practice needed to make it effective have not kept pace."

More than 2,500 prisoners are set to be freed before Christmas under a new early release scheme aimed at easing jail overcrowding, and most will require tagging. This expansion will significantly increase the demand on the current monitoring system.

In response, a Ministry of Justice spokesman stated that public protection is the government's priority. "That's why we are delivering the biggest expansion of tagging in British history, backed by £100 million in funding, with tag install rates up by nearly 50% since 2024," the spokesman said. This initiative is part of a £700 million investment in probation and community services, including the recruitment of thousands of trainee probation officers.

Experts have previously raised concerns that ankle tags are too slow to protect victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and stalking. Currently, breaches of exclusion zones by tag wearers trigger an email alert to probation officers, meaning action may be delayed until the following day, especially if the alert is sent outside working hours. As thousands of convicts are due for early release, these delays could be critical for individuals living in fear of their abusers. In London alone, suspects breaching their tag conditions increased by nearly 50% in the six months leading up to July, rising from 2,977 to 4,408.

Jones emphasized the need for a shift towards "smoother, proactive management" of electronic monitoring, noting that the current system is "too clunky and reactive." He also mentioned that the Metropolitan Police have voiced similar concerns regarding the need for faster, real-time information. "If it is to command public confidence, we need electronic monitoring systems that can be used to provide faster responses where they are needed," Jones concluded.