Expansion of electronic tagging in England and Wales will put public at risk, watchdog warns
Summary
The UK’s public spending watchdog warns that rapidly increasing electronic tagging to ease prison overcrowding may risk public safety unless the monitoring system is improved. The current system has problems like unmonitored cases, delays in fitting tags, and staff shortages, which raise concerns about its effectiveness.Key Facts
- The number of people electronically tagged in England and Wales has doubled to 28,700 over five years.
- From 2027, around 22,000 people may be tagged each year to reduce prison overcrowding.
- Thousands of tagged individuals might not be actively monitored, with estimates ranging from 5,450 to 8,900 unmonitored cases.
- The contractor Serco had delays in fitting tags and notifying officials about breaches between 2024 and 2025.
- In October 2024, there was a backlog of 7,000 visits to fit, check, or remove tags, which improved by November 2024.
- There were only 62% successful tag fittings within two attempts in February 2026, despite meeting a visit timeliness target.
- There is a shortage of about 2,200 probation staff, raising concerns about managing the system’s growth safely.
- The government plans to spend up to £175 million from 2026 to 2029 to expand electronic tagging.
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