However, the report finds that governors are never told whether or not the prisoners they have released have gone on to breach their curfew conditions, despite the fact that this information could inform governors’ future decisions.
Mr Bacon, a member of the committee, said today:
“Given the current crisis in prison places, there will be
increased pressure on governors to release more inmates on Home
Detention Curfew. However, the Home Office is expecting governors to
decide if a prisoner is suitable for early release without telling
them whether Home Detention Curfew is actually working”.
“The first duty of a prison governor is to safeguard the public but
over 1,000 offenders have committed violent crimes whilst on Home
Detention Curfew, including at least one murder. If governors are to
protect the public properly the Home Office cannot leave them in the
dark. As a matter of routine the Home Office must tell governors
whether their decisions to release offenders under Home Detention
Curfew have worked”.
12 October 2006
See also:
PARLIAMENT:
Prisoners should eat more porridge, says MP
PARLIAMENT:
MP sheds light on foreign prisoners blunder
PAC REPORT:
The Electronic Monitoring of Adult Offenders
