In August 2022, a six-month Proof of Concept was launched to look at whether introducing the availability of Electronic Monitoring (EM) as a licence variation will, when applied at early signs of risk escalation, help to reduce risk, improve compliance with licence conditions, influence behaviour and potentially reduce the need for recalls. The Proof of Concept was run in the East Midlands Probation region where it will then be rolled out to West Midlands, North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber on 28^th March 2023, then to remaining regions in Spring 2024. My Region will let me know when this service will be available to me. If I work in East Midlands or any of the four regions accessing this in March, I will receive additional information through briefings to support me to help me utilise EM, with tangible examples of how EM as a licence variation could be used.

When it is available to my region, for People on Probation (PoP) where risk increases, I will have the option to vary the licence to include EM. For example, if my PoP’s compliance or behaviour is starting to cause concern, I can consider enhancing additional and/or standard licence conditions with EM to encourage wider compliance and reduce risk. This includes curfew, inclusion/exclusion zones and trail monitoring. I will also be able to use radio frequency or GPS tagging flexibly, as I consider necessary and proportionate, having discussed this with my PoP.

I can use the new Create and Vary a Licence tool, introduced in July 2022, to request the variation for my Head of PDU to consider and approve.

All upcoming changes to EM will be captured and presented in a new EM Operational Framework, which I need to be familiar with. For any questions in relation to EM as a licence variation, please email: emchange@justice.gov.uk