Almost 9,000 individuals in England and Wales who are required to wear an electronic monitoring tag do not currently have one, a new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed. These individuals, who may include violent offenders and prisoners released from jail, are meant to have their movements checked as part of their court or prison orders. The NAO's findings, valid as of March 2026, indicate that prison authorities are reviewing approximately 8,900 cases where individuals are recorded as having an active monitoring order but no tag.
However, the Ministry of Justice has challenged the NAO's figure, stating that its own internal review places the number of unmonitored individuals at 5,450. The Ministry clarified that the NAO's higher figure encompasses the total number of cases being checked for monitoring requirements, some of which may be administrative errors. Despite the discrepancy, both bodies acknowledge a substantial number of individuals who should be monitored are not, with the NAO criticising the current system as "inefficient" and "not fit for purpose," creating potential risks to public protection.
Electronic monitoring, commonly known as tagging, is a crucial tool in England and Wales for enforcing curfews and other conditions imposed by courts or prison orders. These ankle tags allow authorities to track the movements of criminals and individuals deemed to pose a potential risk, including those convicted of serious offences such as rape and murder. As of March 2026, a total of 28,700 people were recorded as being electronically tagged. Reasons for individuals being unmonitored can range from system errors and delays in fitting tags to outright refusal or removal following an arrest.
The Ministry of Justice has responded to the NAO's report by reaffirming its commitment to public protection. It highlighted a £100 million investment in electronic monitoring, including initiatives to tag offenders before release and implement new alert systems for victim protection. This investment, they assert, aims to reduce the number of unmonitored offenders. Meanwhile, Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, emphasised the critical role of electronic monitoring in managing prison pressures and called for significant improvements to ensure effective monitoring and prompt responses to breaches.
The concerns raised by the NAO's report are particularly pertinent given the Government's recent plans to significantly expand electronic monitoring. The Sentencing Act 2026, which came into effect earlier this year, aims to alleviate overcrowding in prisons by managing more offenders within the community. This expansion is expected to see thousands more prisoners, potentially including those convicted of serious violent and sexual offences, released early from autumn this year, with most requiring tagging. Probation officers, responsible for overseeing offenders in the community, have voiced considerable apprehension about their capacity to cope with the increased workload, warning of potential public safety risks if monitoring systems and staffing levels are not adequately addressed.