Being tagged

As more shameful stories about about escaping foreign prisoners hit the headlines, it appears that more than half of our tagged offenders rip off their electronic device. We cannot even keep track of those we are supposed to monitor in order to protect the public.

Sacked former Home Secretary Charles Clarke’s local rag, the Eastern Daily Press, has reported how more than 1,5000 offenders removed their electronic tags, intended to closely monitor their whereabouts, over a nine month period last year in East Anglia alone, that is 59%.

These figures were uncovered by the EDP under the Freedom of Information Act and is further damning evidence of the Home Office’s gross ineptitude.

The Scotsman also reported earlier this year that more than than half of tagged offenders were breaching their orders too.

Charles Clarke must have been aware of this, he would be kept fully informed on all aspects his department is responsible for, so what action did he take to resolve it? Is John Reid going to do anything constructive about it?

And tagging does not necessarily deter further crimes being committed. In September 1999, a pregnant Peterborough woman was murdered by a 16-year-old who was electronically tagged after his early release from a young offenders’ institution.

Stephen Basson, who was jailed for life for the murder of Amanda Letch, was tagged when he carried out the killing. He admitted blasting the 24-year-old woman to death with a shotgun. The Peterborough ET reports Prisons Minister Hilary Benn expressing delight at the success of the scheme, saying it was a “real alternative to custody”.

There were 11,349 people in England and Wales subject to electronic tagging in January this year and it is the responsibility of contractors to follow strict Home Office requirements.

I would like to know why tags so easily removed and how often are offenders punished for removing them? If this is meant to be an alternative to prison, are they sent to prison for flouting the order and resentenced for the original crime?

Financial deductions can be imposed against monitoring contractors if they do not meet the required standards. What financial penalty has been imposed? And isn’t it a pity that same yardstick is not applied to Home Office failings for every time they lose a prisoner!