The time offenders spend under house arrest will be extended to 12 months, according to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Mahmood confirmed in Parliament on Tuesday that the government plans to increase the duration of house arrest from six to 12 months, following the approach of the previous administration, which had already expanded the use of this measure.
This move aims to address the overcrowding crisis in UK prisons. It comes on the same day that approximately 1,100 inmates are being released early due to the lack of available space.
Mahmood emphasized that alternatives to prison, such as house arrest, can sometimes be more restrictive than incarceration itself. Speaking to MPs, she said: "This government will soon extend the use of this measure, following in the footsteps of the last administration, who rightly expanded its use on several occasions. We will increase the maximum period eligible offenders can spend under house arrest from six months to 12 months."
Earlier that day, the Justice Secretary launched a review of sentencing as part of the government's efforts to reduce prison overcrowding. The review will be led by former Conservative Justice Secretary David Gauke and will focus on exploring the use of technology to create a "prison outside prison" and expanding community service options.
Punishments outside of prison could involve technological innovations, such as "nudge" technology, sobriety tags, or home detention curfews. Mahmood explained that tech solutions could potentially be more restrictive than prison, especially for offenders struggling with addiction.
She stated, "In many prisons today, it’s unfortunately easy for a drinker to obtain alcohol. However, with a sobriety tag, which monitors alcohol consumption through sweat every 30 minutes and has a 97% compliance rate, sobriety is almost as strict as mine."
A senior source from the prison service mentioned that they are particularly interested in using "nudge" technology, like wristwatches that remind offenders to attend probation appointments or mental health treatments. These measures do not restrict freedom but encourage compliance with required behaviors.
Additionally, alcohol monitors could be used to enforce sobriety during house arrest, further increasing the level of restriction outside prison walls.
In response to an earlier issue where 37 prisoners were accidentally released early, Mahmood reassured that it was a "mistake that won't happen again." The Ministry of Justice had admitted the error, which occurred during Labour's plans to reduce overcrowding.
The findings from the sentencing review will be submitted by spring next year, with the implementation of the changes expected by March 2026 at the earliest. Photo by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street, Wikimedia commons.