Experts are raising alarms that current electronic tag alert systems are insufficient to protect domestic abuse, sexual assault, and stalking victims, as a significant number of prisoners are set for early release starting in October.
The current protocol dispatches emails to probation officers when a tagged offender breaches their exclusion zones. This system is deemed 'too slow' as alerts sent outside of working hours may not be addressed until the following day, potentially leaving victims vulnerable.
This issue is amplified by the impending early release scheme, which will see thousands of convicts freed before their sentences are complete. In London alone, breaches of electronic tag conditions have surged by nearly 50% in the past six months, rising from 2,977 in January to 4,408 in July. These breaches can encompass a range of actions, including contacting, threatening, or assaulting victims, absconding, violating curfews, attempting tag removal, or entering prohibited areas.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley expressed dismay at the increasing number of individuals charged with serious offenses, such as gun and knife crimes, being released back onto the streets on bail. He noted that in over 95% of cases where suspects breach bail conditions, such as by entering exclusion zones while tagged, there are no tangible consequences after arrest and court appearances, rendering the effort 'futile'. Sir Mark anticipates a rise in violent crime as a result.
The Ministry of Justice has been exploring the implementation of real-time GPS tracking, which would provide probation officers with offender locations within five to 15 minutes. However, this technology is still in early development, currently on trial in London and the West Midlands, with a nationwide rollout not anticipated until the end of 2027. This timeline raises concerns, as it falls potentially more than a year after the early release program begins.
Claire Waxman, the victims' commissioner, voiced apprehension about the delayed rollout of real-time GPS tagging, particularly with 4,500 offenders scheduled for release in October. She warned of a potential disconnect between assurances given to victims and the practical realities on the ground, stating that victims should not bear the risk while systems are still being developed.
Martin Jones, the chief inspector of probation, described the existing electronic monitoring system as providing only 'retrospective information that is no reassurance to victims at all,' advocating for a shift towards proactive management. Ben Cockburn, national chairman of the probation workers' union Napo, disputed ministerial assurances of 'constant access' to real-time GPS data, characterizing such claims as misleading about the capabilities of probation staff. He also noted a lack of apparent evaluation for the ongoing trials of the new technology.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice stated that public safety is a top priority and highlighted a £700 million investment to equip probation officers with necessary tools. The Ministry also emphasized the expansion of tagging in the UK, including new technology for real-time offender location tracking, world-first restriction zones, and a presumption that all prison leavers will be tagged.
Serco, the contractor managing the current email-based system, maintains it is delivering an 'excellent service' and meeting all contractual obligations, and asserts it has the resources to manage the 4,500 convicts set for release in October.