Release on Home Detention Curfew

Offenders sentenced to determinate sentences of imprisonment for more than three months but less than four years may be entitled to release on Home Detention Curfew. This is an initiative that allows an offender to be released from custody up to 120 days early as long as they abide by strict conditions on licence. It was designed to allow an offender to get used to being back in the community and thus allow for an easier transition from prison to home life. Home Detention Curfew is as it sounds; the offender is allowed to go home but must ensure that they are inside the house for specified periods (usually during the night.) The requirements of Home Detention Curfew are that the offender must stay within the four walls of the property during the hours of the curfew, which means that it is not acceptable to go into the garden (e.g. to smoke, or to join in a barbeque).

How Does an Offender get Home Detention Curfew?

Not all prisoners are eligible for home detention curfew. Some will be excluded by virtue of the nature of their offence, in which case they may be classed as ‘presumed unsuitable’ (and will not get HDC unless there are exceptional circumstances and the governor agrees to release on HDC) and others will not be eligible because their sentences are either too long or too short. If not automatically excluded from the home detention curfew scheme, prisoners are assessed before their HDC date, i.e. the date upon which they would get HDC if they were assessed as suitable for it.

Offenders who are not excluded from the scheme will be assessed by the probation service to find out whether they can be released on HDC. This includes passing a ‘risk assessment’ and ensuring that a home circumstances check is carried out satisfactorily (the place where the offender will live while on HDC.)

If an offender is refused HDC, they can appeal the decision by submitting a complaint form to the Governor, setting out the reasons why they think the decision is wrong.

Practical Elements of HDC

If an offender is released on home detention curfew, they will need to agree in writing to the licence conditions. These are usually to stay within an agreed address between 7am and 7pm every day. The property to which they are ‘tagged’ can either be their home address, a hostel or another approved premises.

The curfew is enforced by way of an electronic monitoring device that is installed at the offender’s pre-approved address. The offender is monitored by way of a ‘tag’ around their ankle.

What Happens if an Offender is Recalled?

If an offender does not comply with their curfew, the monitoring system will alert the contracting company that provides the tagging system and the offender may be recalled to prison. If this happens, they may not be re-released until their automatic release date (usually at the half-way point during their sentence.) If an offender is recalled to prison for breaching their tag due to circumstances that were not within their control (e.g. not being able to remain at the curfew address anymore) they may be able to apply for a further review of HDC once an alternative address is found (and subject to that address being deemed suitable.)