Tagging and full home arrest
Low cost tech could allow us to do so much more.
The government has announced a review of crime and punishment. Prisons are universities of crime, but the public wants more people in prison. Prisons are expensive, but the public wants lower taxes. Public policy can be difficult…
“Prison at home”, in a way that does not involve prisoners getting up late, sitting around all day, watching television and surfing the web could be an alternative to some prison sentences, and to some community orders.
Electronic tags are mainly used for people on bail and who have been released under licence. Tags are pretty basic - they send a signal periodically to a base, which then connects onwards. The authorities know if you are at home, or at least if the tag is - but nothing else.
Tech has improved massively since tags were invented in the 1980s. Today,