New research suggests electronic tagging of offenders is being taken seriously as an alternative to jail in the UK's courts.

Although initial take-up was slow, confidence in electronic curfew orders has grown considerably

Hilary Benn

Prisons minister Hilary Benn admitted the policy had got off to a "slow start".

But he said a 50% increase in tagging over the past year showed the growing confidence judges and magistrates had in electronic curfews.

The scheme has faced criticism from probation officers, who claim it will not prevent crimes being committed during the day.

But Mr Benn said 83% of the tagging orders had been completed successfully, making them a "real alternative to custody".

'Genuinely punitive'

In the first six months of this year an average of 608 tagging orders a month were handed down by the courts, compared with 435 in 2001 and 383 in 2000, according to figures released on Friday.

Offenders are no longer being locked up

The scheme was introduced nationally in 1999.

The Home Office said sentencers had welcomed the curfew orders' ability to disrupt offending patterns and as a cost-effective alternative to custody.

Offenders forced to wear tags found them "genuinely punitive", the report claimed.

And their families welcomed the orders for bringing stability to the offenders' lifestyle, it added.

Rehabilitation

Mr Benn said: "Short custodial sentences can disrupt the work and family life of offenders.

"Two-thirds of offenders lose their job whilst in prison, whilst over two-fifths lose contact with their family.

"It is therefore important that we develop tough and effective alternatives to custody so that we can rehabilitate more effectively those who have committed a crime."

He said electronic curfews were an effective alternative to custody.

"Although initial take-up was slow, confidence in electronic curfew orders has grown considerably," Mr Benn added.

Community penalties

However, the research found some criminal justice workers doubted the effectiveness of the curfew orders, believing they should be used alongside other community penalties.

Director of the National Probation Service, Eithne Wallis, said: "This report clearly shows that curfew has an important part to play in sentencing both as a punitive measure and as a means of restricting offenders' liberty without the damaging consequences caused by imprisonment in terms of employment and social exclusion.

"We shall be looking to see what the National Probation Service needs to do to ensure full and effective use of curfews alongside, and as part of, other community penalties."

Electronic monitoring is currently provided by private companies Securicor, Reliance and Premier.