Probation breaches

SIR – I applaud the Government for introducing GPS tracking of certain offenders after 15 years of developments and trials (report, February 16); however, who will be responsible for prosecuting the inevitable breaches in court?

Before 2013 the electronic monitoring companies were responsible for prosecuting breaches of curfew requirements, and nearly all prosecutable breaches were taken to court. More than 98 per cent of prosecutions resulted in guilty pleas.

However, in April 2013 the prosecuting responsibility was transferred to the National Probation Service (NPS), either directly, or via Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC). Records show that vast numbers of offenders across England and Wales breached their conditions and have never been prosecuted, walking the streets safe in the knowledge that CRC and the NPS do not have the resources or inclination to commence breach proceedings.

Nor do those authorities have the technical or administrative knowledge of how the monitoring system works. As the CRCS are paid by success it is not in their interests to report breaches.

GPS tracking is a specialist monitoring system that will need to be prosecuted by staff who understand how it operates, so that it can be explained and proven to the courts. Will the NPS have the time, resources and expertise to train and provide the prosecutors of breaches of tracking requirements? Andrew Mcallister

Shrewsbury, Shropshire