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Electronic monitoring of released prisoners: an evaluation of the Home Detention Curfew Scheme

The Home Detention Curfew scheme was introduced on 28 January 1999 across the whole of England and Wales. Most prisoners sentenced to at least three months but less than four years are eligible for release up to 60 days early on an electronically monitored curfew provided that they pass a risk assessment and have a suitable address.

Title: Electronic monitoring of released prisoners: an evaluation of the Home Detention Curfew Scheme
Authors: Kath Dodgson, Philippa Goodwin, Philip Howard, Siân Llewellyn-Thomas, Ed Mortimer, Neil Russell and Mark Weiner
Series: Home Office Research Study 222
Number of pages: 84
Date published: March 2001

This report draws together the main strands of an evaluation of the Home Detention Curfew scheme covering the first 16 months of the scheme. It includes: an analysis of release rates and recalls to prison; a survey of curfewees, family members and probation supervisors; a cost-benefit study of the scheme; and an analysis of short-term re-offending by offenders released early onto the scheme compared to a control group.

The report at a glance

• 5% of curfewees were recalled to prison mostly for a breach of curfew, but a quarter of recalls were due to changes in circumstance.

• Breaches of curfew fell into four main categories
     1.   equipment failure
     2.   psychological issues
     3.   domestic or housing issues
     4.   lifestyle

• Women were more likely to be eligible for the tagging than men.

• Offenders convicted of crimes with a high reconviction rate, eg burglary, are less likely to be tagged than those who committed an offence with a low reconviction rate, eg fraud.

• 37% of prisoners said the chance of being put on the scheme positively influenced their behaviour in prison.

• The scheme was estimated to have saved the Prison Service £36million.

• 2% of participants re-offended while on curfew, but re-offending rates were almost identical to a control group in the six months following curfew.

Download the report in full   PDF (420K)