Time criminals spend under house arrest will rise to 12 months, Justice Secretary says
22 October 2024, 15:09
Shabana Mahmood has confirmed the Government will extend the amount of time offenders spend under house arrest from six to 12 months.
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The Justice Secretary told the Commons on Tuesday that the government will "follow in the footsteps" of the last administration who "rightly" expanded use of the measure.
The move is intended to address the population crisis faced by prisons in the United Kingdom.
It comes on the same day that around 1,100 inmates are released from prison early because of overcrowding.
She told the Commons: "This Government will soon extend the use of this measure, following in the footsteps of the last administration who expanded its use rightly on a number of occasions.
"We will increase the maximum period eligible offenders can spend under house arrest from six months to 12 months."
Ms Mahmood launched a review of sentencing on Tuesday morning as the government fights to reduce overcrowding in jails.
Former Conservative Justice Secretary David Gauke has been tapped to lead the scheme.
Justice Secretary on how the sentencing review aims to resolve the 'revolving door of justice'
The review will look at using technology to place criminals in a "prison outside prison", and more community service.
Punishments outside of prison could involve using "nudge" technology, sobriety tags or home detention curfews.
Ms Mahmood argued in the Commons that tech solutions could prove "more restrictive" than prison especially for people dealing with addiction.
She said: "It is a sad fact that in many of our prisons today, a drinker can all too easily procure a drink. On a sobriety tag, however, with their sweat measured every 30 minutes and a 97% compliance rate their teetotalism is almost as strict as mine."
A senior prison service source said: "We are particularly interested in nudge technology, like a wristwatch that says: 'Have you got in touch with your probation officer? Have you turned up at your mental health treatment appointment?'
"They're not things that restrict your liberty, but they are very helpful in terms of behaviour compliance and nudge compliance."
It comes as the Justice Secretary told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast that releasing 37 prisoners who were accidentally released early was a "mistake that wont happen again".
At the time, the Ministry of Justice admitted the prisoners were wrongly released under Labour's plans to reduce overcrowding in jails.
"That was something even I didn’t anticipated," admitted the Justice Secretary, "as soon as we were made aware of it, we took action".
The findings of the sentencing review will be submitted by spring next year. The results of the review are expected to take effect by March 2026 at the earliest.
