One-year on: alcohol monitoring on licence

Last Thursday (17 November) marked one-year since alcohol monitoring on licence was rolled-out in Wales.

The tool, which was further rolled-out in England in June 2022, provides a way to monitor people leaving prison who are at risk of reoffending from alcohol by an additional alcohol monitoring licence condition. It may see alcohol banned or restricted following release, with compliance monitored using a tag for a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of 12 months.

How do the tags work?

The tags are available throughout England and Wales for those who have a history of alcohol-related offending behaviour.

The tamper-proof device works by checking the alcohol level in the offender’s sweat, taking a reading every 30 minutes.

If a tamper or alcohol is detected and confirmed, the offender’s probation officer is alerted. The probation officer will take action as appropriate, such as a conversation, a warning letter or a return to court or prison.

One-year on, what difference are the tags making?

We know that alcohol is believed to play a part in 39 per cent of violent crimes in the UK and roughly 20 per cent of offenders supervised by the Probation Service are identified as having drinking issues. Latest statistics show:

• During the first ten months of the roll-out of alcohol monitoring on licence, a total of 931 offenders were tagged.
• On 30 September 2022, 1,503 offenders had an alcohol tag fitted – both on licence and in the community – a 153 per cent increase from 30 September 2021.
• Offenders on a tag from a court order have stuck to their alcohol restrictions 97 per cent of the time.

How are the tags supporting people on probation?

Natasha (not her real name), aged 22, from Cardiff, has been on a tag since the beginning of September. She said: “I was nervous about being tagged but it does help. It’s a physical reminder for me not to drink.

“I’ve been on probation before but this time I’m doing really well, and I do think the tag’s been good for me. I’m sober and not getting in trouble.”

How are the tags helping to reduce reoffending?

Becky Tait, a probation officer from Stoke on Trent was interviewed by BBC Frontline Fightback recently about how alcohol tags are helping to break the cycle of drinking and reoffending.

Becky said: “The tag is almost like the angel in your ear ‘don’t have a drink, don’t have a drink’, or a conscience attached to your leg.

“Where people have patterns of offending and keep on offending, it’s very difficult to help them to change because they are in a cycle of substance misuse, violence and domestic abuse.

“People don’t think of the consequences when they are under the influence of alcohol – they can become more aggressive and impulsive. So, if we can help people make changes to their alcohol use and think more about the impact of their alcohol use on their behaviour, that in turn then allows them to be safer and less of a risk to the public.

“For a lot of people having that additional monitoring and enforcement allows them to make better choices which helps them not drink.”

Further information

• Guidance for practitioners.
• E-learning module on alcohol monitoring.
• Licence conditions policy framework.
• Alcohol monitoring animation for tag wearers.

If you have any questions about alcohol monitoring on licence, please email emchange@justice.gov.uk.