More than 100 offenders have been tagged since the scheme
launched in Wales in October and it has proven effective,
with offenders staying sober on over 95% of days
monitored. Offenders have credited the scheme with
helping them improve their lifestyle and staff say the
tags have helped the offenders stay away from crime.
Alcohol plays a part in 39% of violent crime, with the
social and economic cost of drink-related harm around
£21.5 billion per year and is seen as one of the drivers
of domestic violence and unprovoked attacks. That is why
the sobriety tags will be backed up by targeted
professional support, signposting offenders to the help
they need and helping to prevent future victims.
Minister for Crime and Policing,
said:
These tags have already brought enormous benefit to
Wales since they were introduced in October, with one
offender I met saying it not only changed his ways but
also saved his life.
This smart and powerful new tool is helping the fight
against alcohol-fuelled violence which ruins too many
lives and families and creates mayhem in our town
centres.
The tags have helped probation officers in Wales steer
offenders away from bad habits and get them the support
they need to turn their backs on crime.
Probation officer Laura Harrison said:
Sobriety tags have had an enormously positive effect on
the people I’ve supervised in Wales, improving their
mental health, keeping them off drink and out of
trouble with the police.
One man with a history of drink-related violence was
given a tag for 90 days and has been sober ever since
and says the scheme helped him turn his life around.
The tags can distinguish the difference between drinks
and other types of alcohol – such as hand sanitiser or
perfume. They work 24/7 and can also tell if someone
tries to block contact between the tag and their skin.
It is the latest boost to the Government’s plans to make
more effective use of tagging to help reduce crime
following the launch of GPS tags being
used to crack down on burglars and thieves earlier
this month.
The Government is addressing the root causes of crime,
tackling factors such as addiction, homelessness and
mental health, and recently announced an extra £148m
package to target drugs-related crime with the biggest
boost in drug treatment spending in 15 years.
Supervision of offenders in the community is also being
improved with greater powers for probation officers,
novel uses of GPS tags and longer and more flexible
curfews. For example, by having lesser restrictions
Monday to Friday to keep offenders in work, but stricter
curfews of up to 20 hours a day on weekends.
