More than 700 prisoners across England and Wales were released early this week under a government scheme aimed at alleviating overcrowded prisons by allowing some offenders to serve just 40 percent of their sentences outside custody. However, concerns have been raised about the effectiveness and timeliness of electronic tagging, a key tool intended to monitor these individuals upon release.
Electronic monitoring devices, commonly ankle tags, are used to track offenders’ locations, enforce curfews, and monitor alcohol consumption. These devices are supplied by Allied Universal and fitted and monitored by Serco under a £330 million contract awarded in 2023. The tags include GPS units for tracking, alcohol sensors to detect ethanol levels through the skin, and curfew tags that communicate with a home base station.
Despite government assurances, significant delays and operational challenges are affecting the system. Data shows that out of more than 5,000 offenders with tagging orders, devices have not been fitted for a large portion. Nearly 700 individuals refused consent for tagging, even though it is a condition of their release, and approximately 200 had medical reasons preventing fitting. It is unclear how many of those refusing have been returned to prison.
Performance indicators reported by Serco focusing on attempts to visit offenders’ homes do not necessarily reflect the successful fitting of devices. Only around 62 percent of tags are fitted within 48 hours of the order, while almost one in ten people waited as long as five months for a tag. Factors contributing to delays include offenders not being at home during fitting attempts and the stretched capacity of probation officers, who are responsible for following up on unsuccessful fittings.
The monitoring system itself has limitations. When a tag records a breach—such as an offender entering an excluded area or violating curfew conditions—it can take, on average, 20 hours for the authorities to receive and respond to the alert. This delay is partly due to contract terms that do not require Serco to escalate alerts to police or probation services until the following morning. Probation officers generally work standard weekday hours, meaning after-hours breaches may go unaddressed for extended periods.
Critics argue these delays reduce public safety and may provide a false sense of security, especially for victims of domestic abuse. Some victims’ advocacy groups have expressed ongoing concerns about the late or absent fitting of tags and the reliability of electronic monitoring in protecting survivors. Reports also highlight instances where offenders repeatedly breached tagging restrictions without immediate consequences, sometimes resulting in arrests only after repeated violations.
Serco maintains that it meets all contractual performance targets and escalates breaches to the relevant authorities, who then decide on any further actions. The Ministry of Justice emphasizes that electronic monitoring operates continuously and that out-of-hours probation support is available for the most high-risk cases. However, probation professionals caution that monitoring is far from live or instant, and the system cannot be relied upon for swift intervention in every breach situation.
The ongoing operational challenges have raised questions about the government’s reliance on electronic tagging as a principal means of managing offenders released early, particularly given the pressures on probation services and the technological and logistical constraints involved. Observers note that ensuring the reliability and prompt response of the tagging system is critical to maintaining public trust in the criminal justice process as early release schemes expand.