Round-the-clock GPS tags slash rates of reoffending
POLICE trialling GPS tags for serial criminals on their release from jail say the results have been remarkable in helping the crooks go straight.
The Cheshire force was one of six given Home Office consent to map every step and location of repeat burglars, robbers and thieves for 12 months on their release.
Traditionally, only those freed on bail or handed a curfew wear a tag, which just confirms they are home at certain times of the day.
But since last year Cheshire Police have tested a new Electronic Monitoring Services (EMS) GPS ankle monitor on all serial offenders who have served at least 12 months.
More than half of burglars and thieves commit new crimes within a year – typically in weeks.
But eight months into the trial, police say the vast majority are not falling into the same bad habits.
And – remarkably – some of those tagged have credited it with changing their lives.
Insp Richard Spedding, of Cheshire Police’s anti-reoffending team, said:
“It is early days, but we are seeing at the moment that whilst wearing this tag offenders are less likely to commit a further crime.
“Whether this is because they are more likely to be caught or whether it is affecting real behavioural change, we will see over time.
“But the vast majority have not committed a crime since being released from prison.
“Some people have been out of prison for up to eight months, offence-free. These are individuals who in the past would have caused considerable harm in the community, so it also has a massive benefit to the wider public.”
Officers and prison and probation staff use the GPS data following a crime to check if any of the tagged crooks were in the area.
Insp Spedding also responded to fears of a Big Brother culture. He said: “We are only looking at crimes, and potentially we can rule people out as much as rule them in. These GPS tags are there to help stop individuals from reoffending and support will be provided to people to help them move on with their lives.”
He was backed by an exoffender, who was tagged under the pilot six months ago. The former jailbird, 54, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “The tag has changed my life. My thoughts are different, I’m thinking I can’t do things because I know I’ll get caught. “From there I’ve had more support, I’ve managed to get a job and I’ve not reoffended.
“I know I’ll never reoffend again because I’ve not been in this sort of positive place for around 30 years, and that’s all because of the tag and the effect it has had on me.”
The other forces on the trial are Gwent, Gloucestershire, Avon and Somerset, Humberside and West Midlands. The Government says a national rollout would slash the estimated £4.8billion annual taxpayers’ bill for such crimes. National head of the test Deputy Chief Con Jon Stratford said: “It provides a strong deterrent and means officers will be able to quickly arrest and gather evidence against any suspect.”