Table of Contents
- Release Delays Before Christmas
- Tagging Process for Released Inmates
- Inmate Release Statistics
- Official Responses to Delays
Individuals released from prison before Christmas are unlikely to be fitted with tracking devices until the New Year, according to concerns raised by probation officers.
They are typically expected to have the tracking devices installed within two days of their release.
Inmates released from prison before Christmas may not receive their tags until the New YearCredit: Getty
However, staff warn that some individuals will remain unmonitored and free to roam the streets until January due to delays in the tagging process.
The security firm Serco is responsible for tagging individuals within 24 to 48 hours of their release.
A probation officer from the South stated: “In some instances, individuals who should receive a tag may never be fitted with one.
“We were informed last week that, due to the anticipated number of releases before the holiday, some may not receive their tags until the New Year.”
Hundreds of inmates are released early before Christmas and New Year, as they cannot be freed on bank holidays.
This means that all offenders scheduled for release on a Friday or the day before a bank holiday can be released up to two days in advance.
In 2020, 116 prisoners whose automatic release dates fell on December 25 or 26 were released on Christmas Eve.
Earlier this year, the then-Justice Secretary criticized Serco’s performance as “not satisfactory.”
Regarding the delays in device installation, the Prison and Probation Service stated: “These claims are inaccurate and misleading. We are not aware of any equipment issues.”
Serco, which was fined a six-figure amount in October 2024 for failing to fit tags on time, responded: “There are no issues with tagging offenders.”
Why are some prisoners not fitted with tags upon release?
Delays in the tagging process and high numbers of releases before holidays can result in some individuals being unmonitored until the New Year.
What is the expected timeframe for fitting tracking devices?
Tracking devices are supposed to be fitted within 24 to 48 hours following the release of inmates.
What happens to inmates released on bank holidays?
Inmates cannot be released on bank holidays, so those scheduled for release on a Friday or the day before a bank holiday may be released up to two days early.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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