UK Offenders Face GPS Tagging and Strict Movement Limits

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The UK government is laying down plans to keep serious sexual and violent criminals on a tight leash, restricting them to specific areas with intensified monitoring and tagging. In a shake-up of the current system, offenders will soon be limited to zones where they are explicitly allowed, rather than places they must avoid, offering a sense of security to victims.

 

Current rules ban offenders from areas near their victims, but these have their gaps, leaving a chance they could cross paths. The new proposals aim to plug these gaps, ensuring offenders stick to designated zones mapped out in consultation with victims. Any breaches could lead to jail time.

 

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) insists the new system will allow victims to live without fearing unexpected encounters with their past attackers. Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones proudly stated the approach would grant victims the peace of mind they need to rebuild their lives in safety.

 

Victims like Leanne are backing the move. Leanne shared her relief, saying she’d feel "ecstatic" knowing she could safely visit places without concerns about her abuser defying restraining orders. The MoJ plans to ramp up offender tagging and use technology heavily for monitoring these zones.

 

However, some probation officers warn of a looming workload crisis. They worry the extra responsibility of monitoring these zones will weigh down a service already struggling to keep tabs on numerous offenders. One officer expressed frustration, noting, "It’s like they just keep adding to our workload without actually helping us manage it."

 

The government’s recent strategy of releasing inmates early to ease overcrowded prisons has already put the probation service under additional pressure. Critics argue this move only shifted the burden onto overstretched probation staff and police, especially when some released inmates were let go without tags, reported the BBC.

 

To bolster the probation service, the MoJ plans to recruit at least 1,300 new trainee officers next year. But insiders reveal it takes about 12 to 24 months to fully train a probation officer, raising questions about the service's immediate ability to manage the new zones.

 

These proposals will likely be integrated into the sentencing bill set for Parliament’s floor next month. The bill might also move to cut the minimum time less serious offenders spend in prison to one-third of their sentence, sparking alarm amongst victims’ charities and probation staff.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-08-09