‘Sobriety tags’ to fight booze crime

Minister backs devices for enforcing drink bans

ELECTRONIC tags that stop criminals drinking alcohol have ‘a role to play’ in tackling Scotland’s booze problem, an SNP minister has said.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has confirmed he wants to use ‘remote alcohol monitoring’ (RAM) devices, which are commonly known as ‘sobriety tags’.

Worn around the ankle, the technology can detect if an individual has consumed alcohol by monitoring their sweat.

A multi-million-pound contract which includes RAM devices is due to begin at the start of next month.

Ministers are also in discussions about giving courts the power to force criminals with convictions linked to alcohol to wear the tags.

The technology – piloted south of the Border and already used in parts of Europe and the US – could also be used for prisoners released on home curfew. Failure to comply would be a criminal offence.

In a parliamentary answer to Tory MSP Liz Smith, Mr Yousaf said: ‘I certainly think the pilots that have been taking place in England and Wales are worth exploring and the technologies that we are discussing can absolutely play a role.’

But he added there would not be ‘one silver bullet’ to tackle the issue. The Management of Offenders Act passed last year allows for greater use of electronic monitoring in Scotland. A contract has been awarded to G4S to run services over the next five years, including the introduction of remote alcohol monitoring. The waterresistant devices carry out tests every 30 minutes to detect if alcohol has been consumed. Detectors send out alerts if a tag is removed or tampered with.

The Scottish Conservatives have welcomed the proposals but their justice spokesman

Liam Kerr said: ‘It is crucial these tags are used appropriately and are not used as an excuse to empty jails.

‘The SNP has a history of using soft-touch initiatives and must demonstrate that these will only be used as a targeted and specific intervention.’

Mr Yousaf said the provisions of the Act that enable remote substance monitoring have not yet been enacted but said he would ‘work closely with justice stakeholders to discuss how this enhanced monitoring may be most effectively used’.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We are discussing with partners how such enhanced monitoring may be used in future when the relevant parts of the Act come into force.’