UK Justice Secretary Cannot Provide Tagging Data After Early Releases

Justice Secretary Alex Norris cannot provide the exact number of prisoners fitted with electronic monitoring devices following the first wave of early releases on Thursday. The government established a presumption of electronic tagging to manage severe prison overcrowding in England and Wales, but Norris cited a data lag regarding the roughly 700 male prisoners released in this initial phase.

This release is part of a broader strategy under the Sentencing Act 2026 to free nearly 5,000 prisoners over the next year. To mitigate public criticism, ministers excluded rapists, serious child sexual offenders, and those convicted of manslaughter from the program.

Despite the policy, some released individuals report they have not yet been tagged and are facing housing instability. Norris maintained that the government is candid about who leaves prison and when, though he admitted he did not have the specific tagging figures available immediately after the Thursday releases.