The Justice Secretary, Alex Norris, has acknowledged that the government does not yet have figures on how many prisoners freed early last week have been fitted with electronic monitoring devices, a key component of the government’s plan to ease prison overcrowding while maintaining public safety. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed that data on tagging is reported quarterly and will not be available until January, following a detailed verification process.

Last Thursday, around 700 offenders were released early under a Labour government scheme designed to reduce jail capacity pressures. This is part of a broader plan expected to see more than 4,500 prisoners released early over the coming ten months, including some convicted of violent offences. The MoJ branded this initiative as the largest expansion of electronic monitoring in British history, with a stated “presumption” that offenders leaving prison would be tagged and tracked, often via GPS to restrict their movements.

However, Norris conceded that while some prisoners are tagged immediately upon release as part of a pilot scheme, others may experience delays before being fitted with the devices. He acknowledged that, due to the recent nature of the releases, comprehensive tagging data was not yet available. Officials indicated that the government aims to meet a target of tagging offenders within 48 hours of release, though reports suggest this target has only been achieved in approximately 62 percent of cases so far.

The delayed tagging data has raised concerns among victims’ groups and probation officials. Vicki Crawford, a campaigner and survivor of child sexual abuse, expressed that a lack of transparency about the monitoring status of released offenders generates fear, especially among victims of domestic violence. The MoJ declined to confirm whether victims would be informed about tagging statuses before official statistics are published.

In response to concerns over the probation service’s ability to manage the increased workload from early releases, Ben Cockburn, chairman of the National Association of Probation Officers, warned that the scheme poses an “existential risk” to the service. He described probation as overstretched and understaffed, calling on the government to place it into special measures to allow officers to prioritize high-risk offenders amid rising demand. Cockburn criticized government assurances about tagging, stating these do not reflect the current realities faced by probation staff.

Norris defended the government’s approach, emphasizing ongoing investments totaling £700 million into the probation service, including recruitment of thousands of new officers over recent years. He also highlighted measures intended to reduce court backlogs, such as increasing magistrates’ sentencing powers and limiting some appeals, despite abandoning earlier plans to curb jury trials—a move that generated controversy and political debate.

The government maintains that public safety remains a priority throughout the early release program, though questions about operational readiness, tag deployment, and communication with victims continue to prompt scrutiny.