Almost all UK criminals will probably be given similar new remedy when leaving jail

Billed as “the biggest expansion of tagging in British history” and backed by £100 million, the move will see greater use of GPS and alcohol monitoring

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Thousands more criminals are set to be tagged as the Government launches a major overhaul of the probation system in a bit to cut reoffending. Under plans to be announced by probation minister Lord James Timpson, almost all offenders will be tagged on leaving prison.

Billed as “the biggest expansion of tagging in British history” and backed by £100 million, the move will see greater use of GPS and alcohol monitoring, as well as proximity tags to keep domestic abusers away from their victims.

Lord Timpson said the expansion of tagging would mean “the most dangerous offenders will now be watched more closely than ever before”.

The move is part of a major reform of the probation service, leaning heavily on technology to help overworked staff use their time better.

As well as a presumption that offenders leaving prison will be tagged, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) will invest £8 million in new technology aimed at cutting administrative tasks.

That includes the use of the MoJ’s in-house AI tool, Justice Transcribe, to take notes during probation officers’ meetings with the offenders they supervise, which has been welcomed by frontline staff.

The Government will also recruit at least 1,300 new probation officers over the next year, while low-risk offenders will receive less regular supervision – allowing staff to focus on those that pose the greatest danger.

Currently, almost a third of probation appointments do not take place due to significant workloads, representing thousands of missed appointments per year.

Some 246,502 people were being supervised by the probation service in September last year, the most recent date for which statistics are available.

Lord Timpson said: “By combining new technology with a stronger probation workforce, we’re making sure those who pose the biggest risk are under constant scrutiny to better protect victims and the public.”

The reforms follow the passing of the Sentencing Act that will see offenders released earlier, with most leaving prison after serving a third of their sentence rather than half or 40%.

It is understood that the MoJ expects those offenders to be tagged for at least the second third of their sentence, with probation officers then determining whether they should continue to be tagged for the final third.

More serious offenders will serve at least half of their sentence behind bars.

Martin Jones, the chief inspector of probation, said he welcomed the proposals and the bid to “focus time and resources where they matter most”.

He said: “We are entering a crucial period as the implementation of the Sentencing Act reforms begins.

“There must be a sharp focus on ensuring the probation service can recruit, train, and retain sufficient staff, and give them the tools and support they need – both to keep the public and victims safe, and to turn offenders’ lives around.”

Victims commissioner Claire Waxman also welcomed the proposals, but said tagging should be “backed by swift, robust enforcement the moment a breach occurs” or risk creating a “false sense of security for victims”.

She added: “While prioritising high-risk offenders is a pragmatic necessity, it is essential that ‘lower-risk’ is never treated as ‘no-risk’. Ultimately, victim safety must remain the priority.”

Pia Sinha, chief executive of the Prison Reform Trust, warned the presumption that all offenders would be tagged on leaving prison could “undermine” efforts to reduce pressure on prisons.

She said “Electronic monitoring is not a panacea for reducing reoffending.

“While it can be a useful option as part of licence conditions, evidence shows it is most effective when combined with appropriate supervision and support.

“Tagging can be an effective tool for enhancing monitoring and supervision, but it also carries the risk of increased stigmatisation which can undermine resettlement and reintegration on release.”