New electronic tagging contracts signed
The Home Office has signed a new private sector contract with two firms to provide electronic monitoring equipment.
The two firms, Securicor Justice Services Ltd, and Premier Monitoring Services Ltd, have been awarded five year contracts, with a possible two year extension period, commencing in April next year.
Securicor Justice is part of Group 4 plc and holds a number of other Home Office contracts. Likewise, Premier also already holds a number of electronic monitoring contracts.
The Home Office claims that the new contracts will save the Government around 35 per cent of costs on the current system.
Tagging of offenders began as a pilot project in the early 1990s before it was expanded to the whole of England and Wales in 1999. Courts can impose it as part of a community sentence, but its more controversial use has been in early release from jail programmes.
From a niche project the Government has been determined to widen its remit, and last month announced a pilot satellite tracking programme. Overall, they aim to double the capacity for electronic tracking by 2008.
Announcing the new contracts, Home Office Minister, Paul Goggins said: “We are committed to using new technology where it can provide greater protection to the public and help offenders resettle to lead law-abiding lives.
“The new contracts represent a success for the Home Office and the suppliers and we will continue to invest in this effective method of monitoring offenders.”
