Electronic tags are taking as long as five months to fit on offenders, while almost half are not installed within the required timeframe, according to a new report.
The delays have contributed to repeated breaches of court- and prison-imposed curfews and conditions, while also giving victims a misleading sense of security.
The report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) examined a snapshot of 180 people subject to electronic monitoring under court orders or licence conditions.
Just 55 per cent of location-tracking ankle tags were fitted on time. In some cases, offenders remained unmonitored for as long as five months.
Only 60 per cent of alcohol-monitoring tags were installed promptly. The devices measure ethanol levels in a person’s sweat every 30 minutes and are intended for offenders whose crimes were linked to alcohol use.
Inspectors also found that authorities were not making full use of the information collected by the tags. Significant violations were raised and investigated in only 46 per cent of applicable cases.
There was also little evidence that electronic monitoring was being used consistently to support positive behavioural change, including efforts to reduce reoffending.
Electronic tags can take up to five months to fit, potentially creating a ‘false sense of assurance’ for victims
Labour’s early release scheme began in September 2024 to help reduce overcrowding in prisons
More than 2,500 prisoners are due to be released before Christmas under Labour’s early release scheme, with most expected to require electronic tagging.
That will significantly expand the monitoring system currently in operation.
The Probation Service uses electronic monitoring to enforce curfews and other conditions set by courts or included in prison orders.
Martin Jones, chief inspector of probation for England and Wales, warned that “expanding tagging programmes without addressing their weaknesses risks overpromising and underdelivering on public protection”.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the Commons in September that he understood the “anguish” experienced by bereaved families following changes to the early prisoner release programme, but stopped short of apologising to them.
Mr Jones said the technology was failing to fulfil its “potential”.
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He said: “The findings of our inspection are clear: electronic monitoring is expanding rapidly, but the systems, processes and frontline practice needed to make it effective have not kept pace.
“Until those issues are addressed, the criminal justice system risks relying on a technology whose potential is not being fully realised.
“There is a real danger that electronic monitoring creates a false sense of assurance if the technology is not matched by effective professional practice.”
By June 2026, a total of 27,847 people in England and Wales had been issued tagging orders with equipment.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman told the BBC that the Government’s priority was “public protection”.
They said: ‘That’s why we are delivering the biggest expansion of tagging in British history, backed by £100 million in funding, with tag install rates up by nearly 50% since 2024.
‘This is part of our record £700 million investment in probation and community services, recruiting 2,300 trainee officers over the last two years and a further 1,300 this year – ensuring dangerous offenders are kept under closer surveillance than ever before.’
Experts warned earlier this month that ankle tags were ‘too slow’ to protect domestic abuse, sexual assault and stalking victims from their attackers.
Currently, if a criminal wearing an ankle tag breaches their exclusion zones, probation officers are just sent an email – meaning nothing will be done until the following day if the alert is sent out of working hours.
As thousands of convicts are due to be set loose early from October under Labour’s early release scheme, watchdogs have said these alerts could come ‘too late’ for those living in fear of their abusers.
In the last six months, suspects breaching their tag conditions have already rocketed by nearly 50 per cent in London alone, from 2,977 in January to 4,408 in July.
Mr Jones said: ‘At present, the electronic monitoring is too clunky and reactive. We need a shift to smoother, proactive management.
‘I know the Metropolitan Police have voiced very similar concerns around the need for faster real-time information.
‘If it is to command public confidence, we need electronic monitoring systems that can be used to provide faster responses where they are needed.’
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