Thousands of Offenders in England and Wales Monitored by Alcohol-Tracking Tags Over New Year

Thousands of offenders in England and Wales will have their alcohol consumption monitored by the government over the New Year period. The Ministry of Justice announced that approximately 5,000 people serving community sentences or released on parole will wear "sobriety tags." These electronic ankle devices test the wearer's sweat every 30 minutes for traces of alcohol. The goal is to reduce alcohol-related crime and violence during the festive season. Offenders must remain sober as a condition of their sentence. If the tag detects alcohol, it can automatically alert probation officers, potentially leading to a return to court or prison. The tags are part of a wider government program. Officials state that over 95% of monitored offenders have successfully complied with their alcohol bans since the scheme's expansion. This New Year initiative represents one of the largest uses of the technology since its introduction. Authorities hope it will ease pressure on emergency services during a traditionally high-risk time.