There have been delays in fitting some offenders who have been released from prison with electronic tags, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said.
Some 1,700 prisoners were released early from their sentences last week in the first phase of the Government’s plan to tackle overcrowding.
Prisons and probation minister Lord Timpson is due to have a meeting with security company Serco, which took over the MoJ’s tagging contract in May, on Thursday.
While this issue is ongoing, we have prioritised tagging domestic-abuse offenders to make sure their licence conditions, such as staying away from their victims, are strictly followed
An MoJ spokesman said: “Tagging is an important part of our strategy to keep victims safe and cut reoffending, and there are currently record numbers of offenders wearing tags.
“We are holding Serco to account to address delays in fitting some offenders with tags, and will apply financial penalties against the company if this is not resolved quickly.
“While this issue is ongoing, we have prioritised tagging domestic-abuse offenders to make sure their licence conditions, such as staying away from their victims, are strictly followed.”
Serco have been approached for comment.
Last Tuesday’s exodus from jails across England and Wales included some convicted killers, and came after Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans in July to cut temporarily the proportion of sentences which inmates must serve behind bars from 50% to 40%.
The Government said the measures were necessary as overcrowding had pushed jails to the “point of collapse”.
