Electronic monitoring, or tagging, as it is commonly known, came under the spotlight recently in Wakefield. West Yorkshire Police hosted an event on the subject.
Delegates and representatives from West Yorkshire Police, The Home Office, Group 4 Securicor, the National Probation Service, Youth Offending Teams, the Prison and Court Services, and the Local Criminal Justice Board amongst others, came from across the region to improve understanding of what can be achieved through the use of electronic monitoring.
Supt Martin Deacon of the West Yorkshire Police Drugs and Offender Management Unit chaired the event and said: “Tagging is an increasingly utilised sanction imposed on offenders in order to ensure compliance with curfews."
"West Yorkshire Police are currently developing new approaches to develop our offender management systems and recognise that tagging offers opportunities to monitor and ensure that offenders comply with curfews whilst minimising the police resources that need to be devoted to this. This event is an excellent opportunity for us to explore more fully each agencies role and how we can improve joint working”.
The event, run in partnership with Group 4 Securicor, the National Probation Service and local Youth Offending Teams was opened by West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable David Crompton, who welcomed delegates and provided an overview of the day’s events.
ACC Crompton told delegates: "In the future it is likley that tagging will be increasingly used as an option to keep offenders out of prison. If that is to be the case then it is vital that the police, Group 4 Securicor, Probation and other agencies fully understand how to get the most out of the system so that we deal with breaches effectively and ensure that the public are adequately protected."
Mr Crompton was followed by Barry Snelgrove from the Home Office who provided an insight into electronic monitoring, its history and also current Home Office policy on the subject.
Case studies dramatised by actors looked at different scenarios, highlighting issues and topics of discussion, in an audience friendly way. “We thought that by using play actors we would be providing a more interesting way of learning and taking information on board for those attending the event,” said Mr Dave Penny from the West Yorkshire Police Criminal Justice Department who organised the event.
Interagency working was explored to the full with further inputs during the day from Group 4 Securicor along with the Probation Service, Youth Offending Service and West Yorkshire Police. The speakers all discussed the role that their agency played when offenders were subject to such monitoring and the positive impact it can play in managing compliance with curfew orders.
Claire Sims, G4S Communications Director said: "We know that tagging works, that it is a robust and effective way of monitoring a curfew and can help turn offenders lives around. We also know that tagging works best when all the Criminal Justice agencies are working together- and this event was set up to build upon the useful partnerships already made."
"However what was clear was that there was further opportunity to share information with each other and is something that we are going to be taking forward in more detail with West Yorkshire Police and other criminal justice agencies across the region."
Dave Penny added: “We have explored some very useful subjects, from current arrangements and issues, to future developments and refinements. The event was informative and helped us all to better understand each others roles and the various pressures and problems we face. I think that things such as this, which improve inter agency understanding, can help us all to work together in a more structured way.
