LONDON, June 20 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:
* Offenderstobe fitted with innovative tagsthat measurealcoholintake 24/7
* Drinking expected tosoar as fans tune in tofootball gamesfrom pubs and at home
* Tagshelptoprotect our streets from £21 billion cost ofbooze-fuelled crime
Statisticsshow thataround7,300 criminalseitherreleased from prison or serving a community sentence will be forcedtowearalcoholtagsatsome point duringthetournament.
The innovative tags work around the clock and quickly detect if an offender has been drinking by analysing their sweat. If an offender darestohave a drink, an alert is senttotheir probation officer who cantake actiontopunishthem, such as an ordertoreturntocourt or even prison.
The tags areaccurateenoughtodistinguish betweenthosesimply soaking up the atmosphere at pubs and fan zoneswherealcoholis present, and thoserisking ared card byactively drinking.
The move comes as police forces and local authorities prepare for increased demand during thetournament, withalcoholoften linkedtoincidents of violence, anti-socialbehaviourand disorder around major football fixtures.
The technology is playing a significant role in the Government's missiontotake back our streets fromalcohol-fuelled harm, which the National Audit Office estimate costs the UK economy £21 billion a year.
Prisons, Probation andReducingReoffending Minister Lord Timpson said:
Major sporting events should be a time forthe country tocometogether and enjoy the game, not foralcohol-fuelled violence and disordertoruin the occasion.
Having this techfixedaroundthe ankle is the wake-up calltooffenders and leaves them with the sobering thought that one slip-up could send themtojail.
Newtaggingtechnologyis a criticaltool in our effortstopunish offenders, cutreoffending and keep the public safe, and the evidence is increasingly proving its effectiveness.
Offenders who are banned from consumingalcoholby the courts have remainedsober for 97% of the days they have been tagged since the technology was first rolled out in 2020.
Theymonitor alcoholbans for offenders on community sentences handed down by judges or magistrates and can also be used as a licence condition for prison leavers.Roughly 20%of those supervised by probation are classified as having a drinking problem.
As part of the Government'saction tomake streets safer, tens of thousands more criminals will be tagged over the next three years as part of a major technology expansion.
The Government is also introducing, for the first time, a presumption that all prison leavers will be tagged onrelease as part of intensive supervision with the Probation Service keeping a closer eye on offenders' behaviour.
It is increasing probation funding by upto£700 million extra by 2028/29, including therecruitment of at least 1,300additionalprobation officers over the next year. This will help delivertougher, more effective supervision of violent offenders and better protect the public.
Further information:
* It is expected that around 7,300 offenders will wear analcoholtag at some point during theWorldCup, with around 5,000 already fitted with a tag when thetournament started and a further 2,300 expectedtoreceive new orders.
* This is based on theaverage daily rate ofnew start AlcoholMonitoring orders, extrapolated for the duration of theWorldCup.
* Statistics show offenders on community orders arecomplying withalcoholbans for 97% of the time
* The Crime Surveyindicatedthat39% of victims of serious offences believed thatalcoholplayed a factor in the incident(The nature of violent crime: appendix tables - Office for National Statistics
* Statistics show that around20% of offenders managed in the community by the Probation Service had an identified "alcoholneed" (Identified needs of offenders in custody and the community from OASys - GOV.UK
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