Electronic Monitoring programme

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 19 May 2022 Closed: 14 Dec 2022 Parliament page
Electronic monitoring (‘tagging”) allows the police, courts, probation, and immigration services to monitor the location and compliance with court orders an offender outside custody’s, and take action as necessary. HM Prison & Probation Service plans to expand the use of tagging but recently decided to suspend development of a new … Read more
10 Recommendations
18 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
1 Event
Activity timeline 3 events
14 Dec
2022
Report published
21 Oct
2022
Report published
20 Jun
2022
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
20 Jun 2022
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Electronic Monitoring programme
Antonia Romeo · Ministry of Justice Dr Jo Farrar · Ministry of Justice James McEwen · Ministry of Justice Jim Barton · HM Prisons and Probation Service
Recommendations & Conclusions
28 results
2 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS remains reliant on outdated technology which puts the tagging service at risk of failing.
HMPPS remains reliant on outdated technology which puts the tagging service at risk of failing. Due to the prolonged delays in the programme, HMPPS is relying on legacy technology and will have to use its current case management system until … Read more
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3 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS has failed to provide police forces and the Probation Service with timely access to...
HMPPS has failed to provide police forces and the Probation Service with timely access to the tagging information they need to effectively supervise offenders and protect the public. HMPPS expected Gemini and the user portal to enhance probation officers’ supervision … Read more
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4 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
It is unacceptable that HMPPS still does not know if or how tagging reduces reoffending,...
It is unacceptable that HMPPS still does not know if or how tagging reduces reoffending, and it has been too slow to improve data. Despite our previous recommendations, HMPPS still does not know the impact of tagging. The Ministry recognises … Read more
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5 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS’s innovative use of technology in its expansion projects has yielded some encouraging early results.
HMPPS’s innovative use of technology in its expansion projects has yielded some encouraging early results. HMPPS has achieved some initial positive results from using new technology in its alcohol monitoring scheme and acquisitive crime Transforming electronic monitoring services 7 project. … Read more
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6 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS’s poor track record in its transformation programme does not inspire confidence that it will...
HMPPS’s poor track record in its transformation programme does not inspire confidence that it will be well-equipped to handle risks in its £1.2 billion expansion programme. HMPPS is re-procuring contracts to run the electronic monitoring service. It is attempting to … Read more
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1 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence...
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry) and HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) on HMPPS’s electronic monitoring (‘tagging’) transformation programme.1
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7 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
The Ministry and HMPPS told us that they have learnt lessons from pursuing technology which...
The Ministry and HMPPS told us that they have learnt lessons from pursuing technology which have to be developed from scratch. HMPPS took a detailed and prescriptive approach to setting requirements for Gemini. This introduced complexity and inflexibility, and limited … Read more
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8 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
Witnesses admitted there should have been stronger governance and more scrutiny of the programme from...
Witnesses admitted there should have been stronger governance and more scrutiny of the programme from the Ministry of Justice. In late 2019, HMPPS prepared an 6 Q 90 7 Q 17 8 Qq 21, 26; C&AG’s report, para 3 9 … Read more
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9 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
Both the Ministry and HMPPS told us that they had learnt lessons from weaknesses in...
Both the Ministry and HMPPS told us that they had learnt lessons from weaknesses in governance and scrutiny in the programme. The Ministry explained that a lack of scrutiny can be the nature of big departments with a small corporate … Read more
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10 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS intended Gemini to replace the current case management system (‘Integrity’) which had been in...
HMPPS intended Gemini to replace the current case management system (‘Integrity’) which had been in use since 2012 and must now be relied on until 2024. The NAO found that many of its applications were no longer supported by manufacturers … Read more
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11 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
The telephone system Capita uses in the live service for its operations—including contacting offenders—has been...
The telephone system Capita uses in the live service for its operations—including contacting offenders—has been in place since 2005. Since May 2021, there have been six 13 Q 24; C&AG’s report, paras 3.6–3.7 14 Q 36 15 Qq 33, 36 … Read more
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12 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS’s failure to deliver Gemini also means that police forces and the Probation Service lack...
HMPPS’s failure to deliver Gemini also means that police forces and the Probation Service lack timely access to tagging data to investigate crime, supervise offenders and protect the public.20 HMPPS expected Gemini and the user portal to provide a range … Read more
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13 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
We asked why government was not exploring mobile phone GPS technology or identity scanning software,...
We asked why government was not exploring mobile phone GPS technology or identity scanning software, such as fingerprint scanning used by banks. HMPPS explained that the challenge of using mobile phones in tagging is that they would not be solely … Read more
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14 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
In 2006, our Committee found that there was insufficient evidence available to determine whether tagging...
In 2006, our Committee found that there was insufficient evidence available to determine whether tagging helped to reduce re-offending or promote rehabilitation. We recommended that the Home Office—which previously managed tagging services— should carry out research to establish the role … Read more
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15 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
The Ministry admitted that its evaluation in the transformation programme was not as strong as...
The Ministry admitted that its evaluation in the transformation programme was not as strong as it should have been and recognised that it needed to put more effort into evaluation going forward. It told us that it was extending its … Read more
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16 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
We asked HMPPS what information it shared with the judiciary to inform their sentencing choices.
We asked HMPPS what information it shared with the judiciary to inform their sentencing choices. It explained that it had an extensive programme of engagement in place to ensure judges and magistrates were aware of available services. However, it told … Read more
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17 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
The NAO found persistent issues in the quality and availability of HMPPS’s data on tagging,...
The NAO found persistent issues in the quality and availability of HMPPS’s data on tagging, including inefficient processes, poor-quality data, limited data capture and access, and siloed data and systems. In particular, HMPPS only captured data on offenders’ age and … Read more
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18 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
In 2020, HMPPS launched a tagging expansion programme to widen the use of tagging to...
In 2020, HMPPS launched a tagging expansion programme to widen the use of tagging to different groups of offenders. As part of the programme, it aims to: develop a flexible and scalable service; build the evidence base to demonstrate the … Read more
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19 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS launched alcohol monitoring services in October 2020 for offenders sentenced in the community.
HMPPS launched alcohol monitoring services in October 2020 for offenders sentenced in the community. In November 2021 and June 2022, it extended the scheme to include those leaving prison, in Wales and in England respectively. Alcohol tags measure alcohol concentration … Read more
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20 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS launched an acquisitive crime pilot in April 2021 to impose location monitoring on prison...
HMPPS launched an acquisitive crime pilot in April 2021 to impose location monitoring on prison leavers convicted for theft, burglary or robbery offences. The 19 police forces participating in the pilot send data on alleged acquisitive offenders to HMPPS’s system, … Read more
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21 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS launched its Home Office Immigration Enforcement project, on behalf of the Home Office, in...
HMPPS launched its Home Office Immigration Enforcement project, on behalf of the Home Office, in August 2021. This project extended the use of tagging using GPS tags to Foreign National Offenders who are subject to deportation proceedings. HMPPS rolled out … Read more
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22 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
Given its poor experience of developing bespoke technology in its transformation programme, HMPPS told us...
Given its poor experience of developing bespoke technology in its transformation programme, HMPPS told us that it was “very cautious” about commissioning further novel solutions. For example, while tags which monitor multiple drugs at the same time are currently unavailable … Read more
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23 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
In parallel with managing its expansion projects, HMPPS is undertaking a re- procurement for its...
In parallel with managing its expansion projects, HMPPS is undertaking a re- procurement for its contracts with companies to run the tagging services. HMPPS has relied on Capita’s ‘bridge’ contract throughout its transformation programme. This was only intended to be … Read more
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24 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS told us it had learnt lessons from its transformation programme and was applying these...
HMPPS told us it had learnt lessons from its transformation programme and was applying these to its re-procurement of its contracts to deliver tagging services. In addition to pursuing off-the-shelf systems, it told us that it had decided to limit … Read more
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25 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
We questioned HMPPS on what it saw as the biggest risks in the expansion programme.
We questioned HMPPS on what it saw as the biggest risks in the expansion programme. HMPPS told us that it is challenging reprocuring the service as it is changing and as the number of tagged people is increasing. It explained … Read more
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26 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
Earlier in its transformation programme, HMPPS outsourced the role of systems and services integrator to...
Earlier in its transformation programme, HMPPS outsourced the role of systems and services integrator to Capita, which involved pulling together suppliers’ work to deliver an end-to-end tagging service.48 In 2017, we examined earlier progress in the programme. We found that … Read more
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27 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
In early 2022, HMPPS decided to outsource this role again in its re-procurement and transition...
In early 2022, HMPPS decided to outsource this role again in its re-procurement and transition to the new service. The NAO outlined areas where HMPPS will need to be prepared to manage risks with this approach, including: • Parties having … Read more
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28 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
We asked HMPPS whether it will be prepared to step in to handle any problems...
We asked HMPPS whether it will be prepared to step in to handle any problems arising from this approach. It told us that it was ready to step in and had strengthened its governance and is holding regular meetings with … Read more
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