This is the fourth in a series of briefings that examine the steps that can be taken to support people in contact with the criminal justice system to create better futures. This briefing explores the experiences of people who have been subject to electronic monitoring, commonly referred to as ‘tagging’. With the use of electronic monitoring set to rise significantly, it seeks to offer practical recommendations to improve its use to ensure that it supports people to turn their back on crime and helps create safer communities.
The report is informed by a survey, and we also gathered insights through forums and one-to-one interviews with members of Nacro’s Justice ExChange and people currently being supported in our services.
Summary of main recommendations
At the end of this report, we set out recommendation to ensure electronic monitoring supports rehabilitation and contributes to safer communities.
These include:
- The role of electronic monitoring: Government must ensure that electronic monitoring must not be seen as a replacement for one-to-one human relationships and person-centred rehabilitative work, and should not be assumed to be right for everyone.
- Homelessness and electronic monitoring: Government must ensure that everyone released from prison has somewhere to live on the day of release as otherwise electronic monitoring remains unviable for this group.
- Fitting of tags: Government and HMPPS must ensure that devices are fitted without delay, in a timeframe that does not prevent people from attending other vital appointments, and with clear communication with the person who will be subject
to monitoring. - Amending curfew times: HMPPS should introduce a consistent and structured framework for approving changes to curfew times, which includes the ability for probation officers to make expedited decisions.
- Advancing technologies: As new technologies are commissioned, Government must ensure they are inclusive of all body types, offer more discreet options, and address current reliability issues.
- Recall: Government must ensure that decisions about recall in non-urgent circumstances are informed by key professionals in the individuals’ network and an expedited review process should be introduced where someone is recalled to prison
due to an electronic monitoring breach. - Coordination between agencies: Government must ensure that coordination, communication and information sharing protocols are strengthened between all agencies.
- Further research: Further research and evaluation on the effectiveness of electronic monitoring in reducing reoffending is required.